Harry Potter and the Washington Wizards
by james Thomas
Summary: Harry and his friends are summoned to the United States when it is learned some of Voldemort's death eaters have fled there to escape the British Aurors.
1. Chapter 1

_A year after Voldemort's death Harry Potter and his friends are called to the United States by the Secretary of Magic who believes some of Voldemort's death eaters had fled to the United States to escape the British Aurors. The U.S. officials want Harry to tell them everything he knows about Voldemort's followers in the hope of preventing them from starting their pure blood policies over in the states._

**Harry Potter and the Washington Wizards**

Chapter I – How Can Muggles Fly?

For the first time in his life Harry Potter was nervous about flying. He admitted to himself he had been nervous for the first minute when he got on a broom at age eleven, but only for a minute. The thrill of flying on the broom took the nervousness away quickly. The same thing happened the first time he rode on a Hippogriff and on a Thestral; one moment of nervousness then exhilaration. In the last year he had learned to soar as smoke through the sky like his now dead enemy Voldemort had. However he flew before he was never nervous for long; but this was different.

Today he was flying in a muggle airplane controlled by a muggle pilot. All the other times he had felt that he was in control of his own destiny, and now his life depended on a machine he didn't understand and a person who couldn't even levitate a feather with the best magic wand in existence to help. He wanted to keep himself calm in front of Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. Ginny and Ron also looked a little unnerved but Hermione was perfectly calm. She had flown on planes with her muggle parents several times while vacationing and was quite used to it. He had to make them think he didn't have a care in the world; that nothing upset him. He closed his eyes as if to take a nap and began to think of how he could have gotten into this situation.

It was over a year since his duel with Voldemort and he was tired and ready for a rest. The new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shackelbolt, had offered him and his best friend Ron Weasley positions as apprentice Aurors. It seemed like a dream. He had wanted to be an Auror for several years but didn't think he would make it. Only the best graduates were accepted as Aurors and the war had prevented him from finishing his last year of schooling at Hogwarts.

When the minister of magic said his practical knowledge of fighting was superior to what he would have learned in school and he could start as an Auror apprentice without returning the Hogwarts he was thrilled. What he didn't know at that time was what being an apprentice Auror meant; another three years of schooling that made Hogwarts seem like a vacation.

Only five people were in this Auror class. Harry and his best friend Ron who like Harry never finished Hogwarts because they were together fighting Voldemort. The third person was another friend of Harry's, Dean Thomas, who also missed his last year at Hogwarts because of Voldemort. Dean was the top boy in Harry's year at Hogwarts and overall second only to Harry's friend and Ron's fiancé Hermione Granger.

The fourth member was Angelina Johnson who was once on the house Quidditch team with Harry and had tried to become an Auror when she graduated but the ministry did not run a class that year nor the next because of the war. She was accepted into this first class now that Voldemort was dead and the war was over.

The fifth member of the class was James McGregor, a Ravenclaw that Harry had seen but never talked with while at Hogwarts. He had graduated with Angelina and also had to wait for a new Auror class to begin. Angelina said he was the top boy in her year and according to everybody the most logical Ravenclaw ever which was saying a lot about a member of a house known for being logical.

Classes ran from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon five days a week with just a forty-five minute lunch break. They made up for the forty-five minutes by having night sessions some evenings. These were dedicated to infiltration of simulated dark wizard strongholds using disguises involving spells and potions that change your appearance. This didn't include the time you needed to mix the potions and learn the spells; that was homework time.

Other homework consisted of reading muggle newspapers and watching muggle news programs on the telebox. Students were to watch for muggle reports of odd incidents and unexplained happenings that might be cause by magical action. Harry had tried doing this the summer after Voldemort's return, but his muggle aunt and uncle who he was living with at the time didn't understand why a wizard was interested in muggle news programs and made it difficult to continue watching.

Thankfully the Auror instructors avoided weekend classes, most likely because they wanted to spend some time with their own families. Harry and Ron used most weekends to study, but when Hermione and Ron's sister Ginny, who was Harry's fiancé, had a Hogsmeade weekend and they could get away from Hogwarts and into the local town Harry and Ron would apparate up to the tiny village to be with them.

Harry had proposed to Ginny on her seventeenth birthday, the day witches and wizards are considered to become adults and she accepted immediately. Although they put the wedding off until Harry could finish his Auror training they tried to see each other whenever possible. Ron and Hermione became engaged on the same day and had the same arrangement. The two couples were planning a double wedding in two more years.

In addition to classes Harry occasionally met with the Minister of Magic and other officials to go over what had taken place in the last seven years. With Dumbledore dead Harry knew more of what happened than anyone else and it was important for history to get the facts. Ron and Hermione were sometimes there since they were with Harry most of the time during the past seven years and the historians wanted to double and triple check all the facts.

During one of these meetings Lucius Malfoy was present. For many years Lucius was Harry's sworn enemy, second only to Voldemort. He was one of the few surviving members of Voldemort's inner circle called death eaters and could describe to the historians what had been happening from the opposite point of view. In the final battle of the war, Lucius, his wife Narcissa, and their son Draco abandon Voldemort after Harry saved Draco's life. Since then Harry and Draco had reached a truce under which they were civil if not friendly with each other.

Lucius took this opportunity to stop Harry and thank him for saving Draco. Harry explained how Draco had save him, Ron, and Hermione by not identifying them when they had been captured during the war. This gave them time to escape and he considered things even with Draco. Lucius nevertheless felt he owed Harry something and offered to teach Harry to fly without a broom like Voldemort did; turning your body into smoke while retaining control to soar through the sky. Harry had seen Voldemort and some of his death eaters do this and thought it was a skill an Auror could use.

Apparating was faster, but one could only apparate as far as your mind had the energy to send you. It was difficult and many witches and wizards couldn't do it at all. This sounded even more difficult, but Voldemort had traveled across Europe by this soaring method and it would be worth knowing. It took all his spare time on several weekends but Harry finally mastered the technique though he could only maintain his body this way for minutes before tiring; he knew he would get better and be able to do it longer with practice. Harry was now teaching Ron, Ginny, and Hermione the technique.

Ginny always a quick learner was hesitant to try at first. For some reason she wouldn't explain to Harry, she said she was worried that changing her body into smoke and back again might cause some type of damage to her. Harry tried to assure her that he had been doing it for weeks and Lucius Malfoy for years without damage, but for some reason Hermione backed Ginny. Although Hermione thought soaring would prove useful and she wanted to learn, she insisted Ginny should check with Madam Pomfrey who ran Hogwarts hospital wing first just to be sure. After being assured it was as safe as apparating Ginny learned to soar faster than Harry. Ron, and especially Hermione who didn't mind muggle airplanes but disliked magical flying in any form, were a little slower to pick up the technique but were now able to fly for several minutes at a time and travel several miles in this form.

Now after a year of this continuous activity things finally got a little easier. Ginny and Hermione finished their last year of school and moved in with Harry and Ron at the house Harry owned at 12 Grimmauld Place, London. Harry and Ron no longer had to take time to apparate to Hogsmeade to see them. Harry had inherited the house at Grimmauld Place several years ago after his god-father Sirius Black was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange during the war.

Originally in terrible condition; with the help of the house elf Kreacher they fixed the old house up and made it into a respectable home. It was close to the ministry and their classes and now that Ginny and Hermione were also taking jobs at the ministry it would be an ideal arrangement. The neighborhood was not the best part of London but they spent almost no time outside and both couples planned to get nicer places in the country once they were married and ready to start families.

On the last day of June after meeting with the historians, Kingsley Shackelbolt stopped Harry in the hall and asked him to come to his office to discuss something important. He explained that his counterpart in the United States, the U.S. Secretary of Magic, had requested that Harry, Ron, and Hermione come to the United States to be interviewed by the American Aurors who were referred to as Fleas (**F**ederal **L**aw **E**nforcement **A**gents)

Incidents had occurred over the last year that made the Fleas believe some of Voldemort's death eaters had escaped, moved to the U.S., and were trying to build up an organization similar to what Voldemort did in Great Brittan. Since the three of them knew more about what Voldemort had done than any other source available, the Fleas wanted to debrief them like the British had over the last year. Kingsley said the Secretary of Magic had assured him it would take only a few hours a day for a few days and they would be free to travel about and see the sights in the U.S. He added that Harry should think of it as a working vacation and arrangements were made for them to have two weeks off with full pay to make the trip. Kingsley impressed on Harry how important good relations with the Americans were an asked him to discuss it with Ron and Hermione and let him know tomorrow if they would go.

After discussing the matter they agreed if there was a chance of Voldemort's followers starting over they must do whatever necessary to help stop them. Ginny also agreed and urged Harry to go but Harry insisted Ginny had to go with him. They just got settled in together and he would not leave her alone; not even for two weeks.

The next day Harry went to the minister's office and explained this one condition. Kingsley didn't hesitate for a moment. He said he would arrange with Ginny's new supervisor to give her the two weeks with pay, and if the Americans who were paying all the expenses for the trip wouldn't pay for her he would see that the ministry covered her expenses.

This brought Harry to the point where this memory had started; how does a witch or wizard travel to the United States. It is too far to apparate or fly by broom. It would take hours even by the new soaring method and Harry had never done that for more than thirty minutes at a time. When he broached the subject the minister hesitated for the first time. "We travel by muggle airplane over such long distance." Kingsley answered, "It is perfectly safe and millions of muggles do it every year." He sounded as if he were trying to convince himself instead of Harry.

Nearly a week had passed and all the arrangements were set. Hermione suggested they should take a night flight because they wouldn't be able to look down and see how high they were. Also it would allow them to sleep most of the way and avoid something she called "Jet Lag". The idea seemed good but they had been in the air several hours now and none of them had slept at all. After going over the memory of how he got here Harry tried to think of the next two weeks and the fun they were planning between sessions with the American Fleas and when finished with the debriefing.

Ron wanted to see an American Quidditch match. Quidditch was the favorite sport of witches and wizards; played while flying on broomsticks with seven players on each side it was a worldwide sport. They had once attended the Quidditch World Cup the year it was held in Great Britain and Ron, Harry, and Ginny had played on the Gryffindor house team while in school. Ron kept telling Harry that American witches and wizards must be more out in the open then the British because muggle newspapers reported the Quidditch scores. While reading muggle newspapers he began to following the stories about a team called the Washington Wizards but couldn't understand why they played so many matches and how American scoring worked. In Britain each goal in Quidditch was ten points and catching the snitch to end the match was one hundred and fifty points but the scores reported for the Washington Wizards never went much over a hundred for either team and were often in the eighties and nineties. He wanted to see how American Quidditch differed from the British version.

The muggle woman who had brought drinks and food around every hour kept checking on the four young British travelers. They had both British and American diplomatic clearances allowing them to pass through security without being searched and containing orders that they might be nervous flyers so the first class attendants should see to their every need and comfort. She guessed they must be the children of some big wig in the British government. They were certainly too young to be government officials and if they were music or movie stars or she would have seen them on the news.

Now she announced to the entire plane that they were approaching Dulles Airport and would be landing in a few moments; then the fasten seatbelt light came on. Harry thought back to the takeoff when the lady helped him pull the belt tight and he thought he would have to stay strapped in for the entire flight. Being strapped in was part of what made him nervous at the beginning of the flight and now the trip was almost over it really hadn't been so bad just as Kingsley Shackelbolt had said. Harry felt the plane slant downward and feeling good about things, he decided to look out his window.

It was just starting to get light and Harry could see things on the ground getting nearer and larger when he saw something he that made him blink and think he was having a delusion. From the distance a wisp of smoke was approaching the plane like the first time he saw Voldemort soaring toward him. He called to Ron to look out his window but Ron, still nervous, protested that he was fine looking at the inside of the plane. When Harry insisted; something in his voice made Ron turn to the window and gasp. What looked to be Bellatrix Lestrange was soaring about fifty yards to the left of the plane. Ron yelled and Ginny and Hermione both leaned over to the windows to see what was happening. The soaring figure drew a wand and a flash of light hit the plane.

All the noise from the engines ceased and the plane lurched downward. The voice of a man came over the speakers and said the plane had been hit by lightning and they were going to attempt an emergency landing. Then a section of the wing with one of the engines broke off and the plane began to spiral. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and felt someone else grab his other hand. He felt himself twist and apparate right out of his seat. He found himself in mid air falling with Ginny on one side and Hermione holding his other hand with Ron on the other side of her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II- Who Can We Trust

Hermione yelled, "Soar, let go of each other and follow me. Soar down to the ground and watch for buildings and trees."

Harry was never so scared. Falling faster and faster he had only seconds to concentrate on turning his body to smoke and saving himself. He thought of Ginny and how he insisted she come with him. Then he saw her change to smoke and glide downward. Hermione was ahead of Ginny soaring toward a forested area. He couldn't see Ron but he concentrated and felt the change happening. He guided himself down to where he had seen Ginny and Hermione. Landing near them he ran and hugged them both. Only a second later he saw Ron headed toward them and gently land a few feet away.

Everyone asked everyone else at the same time;"Is everyone all right? Is anyone hurt?" When everybody had checked and found no injuries Harry asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Did I see Bellatrix Lestrange hex the plane or was I having a delusion?"

They all answered the same. "I thought it was me seeing things."

"Well", said Harry, "at least we know one thing for sure; the American Fleas were right about some of Voldemort's followers coming to the Unites States."

"But Harry," Ginny said, "Bellatrix is dead. My mother killed her at the battle of Hogwarts over a year ago. We were all there and we all saw it. How can she be here, alive?"

"The ministry, and we especially, have been fools", Hermione answered. "We thought we were the only people that knew his secret. When Voldemort returned, his secret of making Horcruxes could have become know to all his death eaters. Bellatrix who was closest to him must have made one maybe more, and now she has returned like Voldemort did. Maybe others we think dead are also here. If they had been spotted at home the ministry would have known what happened right away. By coming to America they had an entire year to build their forces without opposition. We need to contact the American Fleas and tell them what happened and also notify our ministry's Aurors. They will have to begin a search in Great Britain and other countries to. The surviving death eaters may be anywhere in the world recruiting new followers."

Ron who had been listening while staring off into the sky at the smoke of the plane still visible there seemed more than a little shaken up as he interrupted her. "Hermione", he asked, "why did you apparate us out into mid air? Why not just apparate to the ground?"

She answered, "Whenever we apparated we were always standing still and we landed in the same way. This time we were moving several hundred miles per hour. We would have hit the ground at the same speed. Apparating into the air might be nasty but it wouldn't kill us. I thought if we were high enough we would have time to change to smoke and soar safely to the ground and we did. I knew soaring would come in handy someday when Harry first explained it and offered to teach us; I just didn't think it would be this soon."

"We were coming in for a landing." said Ron, "What if we weren't high enough to have time to change."

"Then we would be dead like all the muggles on the plane" she said with no emotion in her voice, "just the same as if we stayed on the plane or tried to apparate directly to the ground."

Harry turned to her and said, "Hermione you're brilliant and your quick thinking saved all our lives; but you were wrong about one thing. We can't just go to the Fleas or to our own ministry either. How did Bellatrix know we were on that plane? She didn't just by accident pick the plane we were on to attack. Both the Americans and our people knew of the flight and one of them told Bellatrix. Until we know who is helping her we have to remain dead.

As far as everyone knows we went down with the muggles on the plane. Only Lucius Malfoy knows I could soar and you can't soar out from a closed place like a plane. I think Lucius is reformed and not helping Bellatrix because he never would have taught me to soar if he was still on their side; but if he is helping Bellatrix I'll bet he never thought of apparating out into the air and then soaring. When the news hits the Daily Prophet he will believe we are dead like everyone else. Nobody knows I taught you three to soar, so to Bellatrix and everyone else, there was no way for us to escape from the plane. She must continue to think we are dead or she will come after us again."

Ginny started to cry, "Harry, my parents will see the news in the Prophet and think we are all dead. We have to contact them and let them know we are safe."

"I'm sorry Ginny." Harry said as he hugged her. "First I wouldn't know how to reach them. They don't have a telephone, we can't send a public telegram without giving ourselves away and I don't even know if the telegram company can find their house if we did sent a message. Also, now that we know death eaters are active again, your house may be watched in case we show up there

Hermione, can you send a Patronus with a message all the way across the ocean?"

"I don't know." she responded, "I never sent one more than a few miles and never heard of one going even a hundred miles but I can try. The worst that can happen is it fades away over the ocean and doesn't reach them. It will not deliver a message to anyone other than the persons it is meant for so it can't be intercepted. Also I don't know how long it will take if it can go that far; it might be days."

Harry looked at Ginny then back to Hermione without saying a word, but she understood. Drawing her wand she formed a patronus and even though speaking was unnecessary to form a message said aloud for the others to hear; "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, whatever you may hear or see in the news don't believe it; we are all safe. We were attacked by Bellatrix Lestrange who is alive again and here in America. Tell nobody else, because we were betrayed and don't know who we can trust."

Hermione looked at Harry and he nodded. The Patronus flew away into the air toward the rising sun.

"Now what?" asked Ginny.

"Now we find civilization and begin to hunt for Bellatrix and her followers.", replied Harry. " Did anyone bring any muggle money with them? I was trusting the Americans to provide us a place to sleep and meals like Kingsley promised but that option is gone."

"I have a few hundred pounds from my parents to buy souvenirs like we always did when on vacation, but it won't last long if we have to pay for meals and rooms." said Hermione.

"Harry", said Ron, "we, especially you, can't walk around looking like ourselves. When a plane crashes pictures of the people aboard are shown on the news and in the papers. They don't have our pictures now but when the ministry finds out about our deaths our pictures will be in the Prophet and may show up in whatever magical paper they have here in America. Hermione was right in a way. We can't work alone and expect to find Bellatrix; we will have to get help from the Fleas somehow. Even if we claim to be investigators from Great Britain and give them false names, you are too well known to go walking around Washington for long without some witch or wizard spotting you and reporting it.

"He's right.", said Hermione. "We will have to change our appearance before we get into a crowded area. We've done this before and now you two took classes to learn how to change appearance even better; so what do we need to get started."

In an hour minor changes in facial features, scruffy beards on the boys, and hair color and style changes for the girls made the four different enough to feel comfortable going out in public without fear of instant recognition.

Hermione suggested they walk to a small town she spotted while landing. "After all we can't soar around in broad daylight and apparating into a strange city in the middle of the day wouldn't be much safer." she said. "We better take our time, get our plans straight, and learn the layout of Washington before jumping into a full- fledged investigation. Don't talk unless you have to there may be a lot of foreigners in Washington but out here in a small town our British accents will attract unwanted attention. If anyone stops us tell them we heard about the plane crash and wanted to see it for ourselves."

At the little crossroad store they bought some premade sandwiches and sodas while they watched the news of the crash on the television set the teenage clerk had on behind the counter. She was not happy seeing British pounds instead of American dollars but not being the owner she took them in payment.

"I saw you walking in from the Wildlife refuge", she said. "What are you four doing out in the woods this early?"

"Just bird watching and seeing the sights." Hermione answered. "We're used to getting up early and we wanted to see as much as we can in our free time. When we heard of the plane crash we decided to see if we could help."

They learned they had landed in the Little Creek Wildlife Area in the state of Delaware and as they ate the girl said, "You four are English I can tell by you accents. It was a bad crash; a plane from London with 187 people hit by lightning they claim. Funny there was no lightning all last night.", she added, "No storm at all in fact. Everyone killed they say. Wing tore off and it plowed right into the ground. Nobody had a chance."

"You four in the British Air Force?" she asked "News last week said there was a British air squadron over at the Dover Air Force Base training for a couple of months on some exchange program. You don't look military with those beards. Our military guys are all clean shaven.

Ron retorted, "We just finished training and let them grow for a few days, we have to shave before we report for duty."

Shame she said, "I like them; you look kinda cute."

"He looks cut to me either way." said Hermione pulling Ron by the arm. "Can you tell us how far it is to Washington?" she said, " We want to visit there before our leave is over."

"Close to a hundred miles.", the girl said turning her eyes toward Harry. "Takes two hours by car with the traffic." she added.

Now it was Ginny's turn to grabbed Harry by the arm and pull him toward the door. "Thanks", she said, "we better get back to the base."

As they walked down the road they discussed what they had learned. A hundred miles was not too far to apparate but it was decided to wait till after dark when the chances of somebody in the city seeing them appear from nowhere were lower.

Ginny liked the idea of being in the military. "People in uniforms are rarely stopped and questioned.", she said. "If we had some sort of uniform we could move about and ask questions more freely."

Harry said, "It would have to be a British uniform. Even that girl noticed our accents; we could never pass for Americans."

"Does anyone know about British military uniforms?", questioned Hermione. "If we get them wrong we will be spotted easily."

"I know what British police uniforms are like.", said Ron, "We see them every day back in London."

"No, uniforms was a bad idea." said Ginny. "We can't pass as Americans, we don't know the details of British military uniforms, and as Bobbies walking the streets in Washington we will just draw more attention to ourselves. All we need are badges. Plain clothes investigators don't wear uniforms but do have to show badges to the people they question."

"If we find some metal I can transform it into a reasonable looking badge." said Hermione. "Then we could duplicate it with a copying spell."

In less than an hour a piece of scrap laying along the road had become an official looking badge from the British Air Safety Ministry and three copies appeared in another minute.

"All we need now is official looking clothes," said Harry, "showing up in jeans, tees, and trainers won't get us very far even if we had real badges."

The rest of the day was spent in stores finding dignified muggle clothes that could be purchased using the little money Hermione had brought. They discovered that the larger American stores also frown on accepting British pounds in payment and the clerks were not as easy to talk into accepting pound notes at the one in the country store had been. They had to visit several banks before finding a sympathetic manager that was willing to exchange their currency.

"There's not much call for exchanging foreign money around here," he said, "but I get into the main branch in Washington a few times per month so I'll do it as a favor to our British allies. I'll just hold your bills until my next trip when I can exchange them. I can't promise to give you the current rate of exchange but this is the best I can do."

After this problem with the money they discussed simply magicing what clothes they needed out of the store so they could save the little American money they had. They reasoned that since their need was great and their motive honorable it really wasn't stealing but they decided if even one of them were caught it would require more public magic to break out of custody and erase the memories of all the muggles involved. Also all the American stores seemed to have television cameras taking the customers pictures constantly and the chances of being seen on the news was too great a risk.

By evening with new clothes and another change of appearance to age them slightly they looked like four late twenty year old junior officers; just the type that might be sent to investigate a routine airplane crash. It had now been more than thirty-six hours since any of them had slept but it was decided to apparate into Washington first when the streets were nearly deserted and find a place to sleep later.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III- Identifying a Dead Body

The streets of Washington were not quite empty when four young but dignified British Air Ministry officers popped out of nowhere. Nobody seemed to have noticed their sudden appearance.

With less than fifty dollars left they decided to get what sleep they could on some chairs in one of the metro stations. They got less than an hour before a metro police officer woke them to say they couldn't sleep there.

Here was their first test. Harry showed the officer his fake Air Safety Ministry badge followed by the other three. The police officer hardly had time to look at the badges before Hermione explained how they just arrived from London to investigate the plane accident yesterday and due to the rush there was some mix up and the hotel couldn't find their reservations. There were no vacancies at that hotel, and their luggage with all their paperwork was lost at the airport. They decided it was too late to go all over looking for another hotel and decided to wait here till morning rather than trying to find the British Embassy in the middle of the night and making the guard wake the proper officials to explain the entire mess. It was a weak story but with their youthful appearance implying inexperience it worked.

The policeman nodded in sympathy and told them a story of the airline losing his luggage while on vacation in Florida then said they could stay there until eight when the commuters would be coming through. Most embassy offices opened at nine and that would give them an hour to get to the British Embassy. He added that any taxi driver would be able to take them there.

After five hours of poor sleep they were up and ready to start looking for Bellatrix. And now came the realization that with all that happened in the last twenty-four hours they had no idea of how or where to start. Hermione suggested as she always has that they go to a library to get information like maps of where various government offices are located along with each offices duties and responsibilities. Ron suggested finding a place to sleep and eat because they had only a sandwich and some soda since the plane was attacked and they wouldn't be able to sleep in the metro station again tonight.

It was decided that Hermione and Ron would go to the library and gather information while Harry and Ginny looked for a place to live while in Washington. They would meet by the Washington Monument at noon to check on each other's progress.

Hermione and Ron had the easier beginning. It was not hard to get directions to the library and they started off. Ginny and Harry had a tougher beginning; what kind of place could house and feed four people with almost no money. They eliminated one idea after another as they walked away from the government area into the residential area. Hotels were too expensive, sleeping in public areas like the metro station or government buildings was likely to get them arrested, and a homeless shelter they passed and looked into was too open with too many people around to allow them to talk in secret without being overheard even if they used a Muffliato charm.

Finally they came to be standing in front of a house with a sign on the front lawn; "Foreclosure Sale call 1st National Bank" and a telephone number. It was a small place and close to the neighboring houses but appeared to be unoccupied. Ginny suddenly pulled out her wand keeping it tucked up against herself. She walked up the front walk and quickly waved it at the front door whispering "Alohomora". The lock clicked and she opened the door walking inside with almost no sign of hesitation. Harry found himself following her rather than standing on the sidewalk staring.

The house had older looking but clean furniture. The kitchen had a stove and refrigerator but the power was off. There were dishes and pots still in the cupboard. It seemed the people that had lived there simply abandoned it.

Ginny turned to Harry and said, "If we are careful coming and going the neighbors won't even know we are here. We will be out during the day when people are active and can come after dark to sleep. All we need now is food and drinks. Harry turned the faucet and surprisingly the water was still on. It was perfect for their needs in the short term but they certainly couldn't live there for any length of time without getting caught.

Cooking was another matter. Hermione could produce small blue flames in a jar but were they hot enough to cook over and what about the food itself. Harry finally said, "We'll have to take what we need from stores. We will keep track of the cost and repay the stores after this is over. Muggles do it all the time; they call it buying on credit."

With this problem apparently settled Ginny and Harry decided to head back to the Washington Monument to meet Hermione and Ron. A few minutes past noon Hermione came walking toward them with Ron a few steps behind, his arms full of maps and papers.

Ginny explained how they found the house and about credit buying food then Hermione related their morning. The library was huge and she didn't know where to start looking. Ron saw other people talking to what seemed to be one of several librarians and though he avoided Madam Pince the Hogwarts' librarian he decided they didn't have any other option. He explained that they were British and were trying to get information about U.S. government agencies but were unfamiliar with how an American library operated.

She seemed happy to help, unlike Madam Pince, and she took them to a computer desk. Hermione had seen a computer at her parent's dental office. They got it when she was only ten to keep track of appointments and billing but she never used it. Hogwarts of course didn't have any since all the magic in the air didn't allow muggle devices like that to work. The librarian showed her how to find information by doing a search and how to print out what she needed.

The papers Ron was holding had maps showing all the government agencies, descriptions of each agency's responsibilities, and how to get information from each agency. They didn't have to go to these places; much of the information could be accessed over the library computer by what the librarian called "On line."

As they sat and talked Harry said the first thing they needed to know was about the plane crash. If the government called it an accident they would just blame it on lightning and not be looking for a person who caused it. If however they decided the plane was attacked the government would start to look for the attacker and with their fake British Air Ministry badges they could use the government resources to try and find Bellatrix.

Ron said while Hermione was using the computer he had read the muggle paper's report of the crash and there seems to be some uncertainty about the lightning theory. The paper like the clerk from the country store stated there were no storms or lightning in the area that morning so government officials were looking for another cause. Also the article reported the bodies of the crash victims were being taken to Dover Air Force Base. Even though it is a military base, since the crash had been so close and the base had the facilities to identify bodies, the TSB, the U.S. government agency in charge of plane crashes, asked for and has been granted help from the Air Force.

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Oh my god!" she yelled.

"What!" yelled Ron looking around as if he thought they were being attacked.

"They are identifying the bodies." she said. "Not just burying them."

"So what? said Ron. "They have to identify who is who in order to send each body to their right family for burial."

"Our bodies aren't there." responded Ginny. "In a day or two they will realize they are four bodies short and that will certainly be in the news. Bellatrix and her followers will have to assume we are the missing bodies and are still alive. As hard as it will be for her to accept that we could get off the plane before it crashed she will surely know four muggles couldn't have gotten off the plane. Besides they have the names of everyone on the plane and as the others are identified our names will be all that are left."

"That's it then,", said Hermione. "we have one maybe two days before Bellatrix is hunting us again; not much time to find her first."

"This changes our strategy then.", said Harry. "If she and the government are going to know we are alive maybe we need to set a trap and be ready for her when she comes looking.

"Let's get some food and go back to the house we found so we can figure out how to prepare for her.", said Ginny. "We should get some rest also. You never know when we will get another chance to eat and sleep."

After a meal of spaghetti with sauce from a jar and ice cream for dessert everyone felt better and they settled in the living room to talk.

"What if we just turn ourselves in to the government.", asked Ron. "I know someone betrayed us to Bellatrix but what are the odds that one of Bellatrix's followers is on the Secretary of Magic's office staff. We would be safer in custody then out here alone and without help. We could tell what we saw and let the American Fleas chase Bellatrix."

Do you know where the Secretary of Magic has his office so we can walk over there and turn ourselves in?" asked Harry. "Because I don't; and I bet it doesn't show up on the muggle maps you got. I was expecting the American Fleas to meet us at the Airport like Kingsley promised and take us to their office."

"I thought we agreed that since we didn't know if it was our people or the Americans that told Bellatrix we were on the plane we couldn't chance contacting either of them." said Hermione.

"That plan ended when Ginny realized everyone would know we were alive when our bodies weren't found." said Harry. "If everybody is going to know we're not dead we might as well try to contact the people that can help us the most."

"Let's go to any government office or even the local police station.", answered Ron. "They will call the proper people."

"They will call the insane asylum." said Hermione. "Ninety-nine percent of Americans are muggles just like at home. What would you expect a British Bobby to do if you walked up to him and said, ' Excuse me, I'm a wizard and just survived that plane crash that killed everyone else by using magic to fly safely to the ground. Would you please call the Minister of Magic to come and get me.' Do you think an American policeman would act any differently."

Ginny chimed in with, "It will work because while we are being checked out mentally it will make the news and the Secretary of Magic will see it, know it is true, and sent his people to get us. The Americans must have obliviators to wipe the memories of muggles that see accidental magic just like we do back home. So does everyone agree we turn ourselves in."

"What happens if Bellatrix or her followers see the news and arrive at the police station first. How many muggles may be killed in a duel where we may be outnumbered two to one or more with our wands most likely locked up in the station safe.", asked Hermione. " If we are going to turn ourselves in we have to do it in a way that assures the Fleas reach us first and we have our wands on us in case we need them.

"We have a day or two, maybe more." said Harry. "What if I go to the crash site and say something or do something to get myself on television. I'll say I have information on the crash and if government officials want to hear it put an ad in the paper giving a place and time where we can meet. Somebody magical in authority may see and recognize me and know I am alive. We will watch the papers for them to contact us."

"What if Bellatrix sees you and puts an ad in to get you to walk into a trap. How do we know an ad will be from the authorities and not her." asked Ginny.

"In my message I will say meet in a public place." said Harry. "It should be reasonably safe in an open crowd. Even Bellatrix wouldn't start something with hundreds of witnesses around, she wouldn't know if it was a trap we set with dozens of Fleas in the crowd ready to kill or capture her.

"One more thing,", said Ron, "We all go to the crash site; you looking like yourself to be spotted and us in disguise to watch your back in case Bellatrix has people there. If she has any doubt that we managed to survive she may expect us to show up at the crash. Maybe not, but to be safe we plan for everything possible."

"Agreed, " ,said Harry, "We do it early tomorrow while news people are still there with their cameras. In the mean time let's get some sleep."

"There are two bedrooms upstairs." said Ginny. "Harry and I will take the one in the front and Hermione, you and Ron can have the back one. Don't forget to set a Caterwauling charm at your window. I already place them at the front and rear doors and the downstairs windows so nobody try to go out in the morning without eliminating them first. Come on Harry, good night you two."

At six the next morning, the four of them apparated to near where the news had placed the crash site; Harry as himself and the others with altered hair and features. As they walked toward the site a guard stopped them and asked what business they had; the area was off limits. They showed their fake badges and explained that they just arrived from London for the joint investigation with the Americans and rushed out to the site.

The guard glanced at their badges and said everyone was gone. The bodies were at the morgue for identification and the clean-up crews would be there soon to pick up all the pieces of the plane to be reassembled in a hanger at the Air Force base to try and determine the cause of the crash. All the reporters were gone also. He told them they should go to the base where a temporary TSB office had been set up. The people there could put them in touch with the proper authorities.

As they walked away Ron asked, "Has anyone noticed that every plan we make falls apart before it gets going."

"The plan is good.", said Hermione. "we just have to find some news people somewhere else."

"Where?", asked Ginny. "Do we apparate back to Washington or try the base."

"The base.", said Harry. " We use our badges to get on and find out how far they are with the identifications. That will give us an idea of how much time we have. Then we can decide what next."

"A military base will have security at the gate," said Ron, "and they may give our badges more than a glance. What if they recognize them as fake and hold us?"

"I prefer to follow our plan so let's hope we don't get caught." , said Hermione.

"What is our plan? , asked Ginny. " We seem to have several. Like Ron said our plans don't even get started before they fall apart."

Hermione sighed. "Plan A is to get Harry's picture in the news with a request for a meeting that only magical people will recognize. Then we get a chance to decide if the people we are turning ourselves over to are on our side before we give ourselves up. Plan B is if we are caught by the government before plan A works out we try to arrange that the people catching us have the lowest odds of being with Bellatrix.

If we get past the guard at the gate fine; we check on how fast the body identifications are going to find out how long we have to work on plan A. If we are caught then, as in plan B, we will be in the custody of a government agency not likely to have been infiltrated by Bellatrix's followers." , said Hermione. " I doubt if any of them joined the United States Air Force. If we're caught the guards will try to identify us. We give them our real names and when they check they will realize we were passengers on the plane and survived which should draw the attention of the people we want to see.

Or, the guards contact London to get information about us and discover that you three at least have no records anywhere. Being muggle born my parents filed all the government paperwork required for me but I don't believe you three even have birth certificates registered with the muggle record office. Three people on a restricted military base lacking all the proper paperwork should also get the attention of someone in the U.S. Department of magic.

"I get the feeling the way things have been going, "said Harry, "that before the end of the day we will have gone through plans A,B,C and a few more. Ron is right, we always plan and then end up doing something we never expected. At least fate seems with us because things always work out.

They stood at a distance and watched the guards at the gate. They seemed to check everyone's identification thoroughly. Another thought occurred to Ginny. "Everyone is arriving by car, we can't come walking up to the gate and ask to get in. It would make them suspicious and they would check us that much more closely." , she said. "We'll be sure to get stopped which would end plan A.."

Then Hermione spoke up. "See that sign, MORGUE. It points to that group of buildings. We can apparate in between them where nobody will see. Once we are inside the main gate it is unlikely there will be much security. An official may stop and ask where we are going but they will assume we parked our car and were checked by security at the gate. We can just claim to be confused as to what building we are looking for; its worked before."

A minute later they were between a building marked office and another marked morgue. Harry lead the way to the door of the office building and opened it. A clerk at a desk looked up and said, "Can I help you."

Harry pulled out the badge and flashed it briefly before saying with authority, "We from the British Air Safety Ministry here to investigate the crash. What is the latest information about the cause and the victims."

The clerk stood up and walked to a filing cabinet. He pulled out a thick folder with red lettering "CONFIDENTIAL" written across it. As he came toward them he said, "Headquarters called and said to expect your group later this afternoon; you're early.

"There were some relatives of British government officials on the plane so we caught an early flight., Hermione said quickly. "You know how it is when some higher up is waiting for your report."

"Yes, I've had that experience." the clerk responded. "Here's what we know. Cause unknown as of now; the reports of lightning were wrong but it will take some time to piece everything together and determine the real cause. If we ever do that is.

As for the victims more than a hundred have been tentatively identified because they had papers on them. These are being double checked of course before an official announcement is made. The others will be more difficult because they were dismembered and the body parts must be identified separately and brought together.

The most interesting thing is four bodies haven't been accounted for. We're checking with London to see if they missed the plane and were just not removed from the passenger manifest. If they are confirmed as being on the plane they may have fallen out as the plane broke up and be miles away from where the plane hit ground. They may not be found for days or weeks if they fell into a forested area or the water. The only thing we do know is if they were on that plane they couldn't have survived.

You'll find in the file lists of victims in each category; positively identified, not yet identified, and unaccounted for. We update the lists every two hours. The next update is due in twenty minutes. Feel free to go over to the morgue. I guess if you've done this before you know it's not the most pleasant sight so if you like you can wait here."

A quick glance showed it was their four names under the unaccounted for category. It would only be a few hours before London confirmed they were on the plane and their names appeared on the news.

"Thank you," said Ginny, " in the last few years we've already seen too many bodies of both strangers and friends. There is nothing we can do in the morgue to help so we will go back to our embassy with the report; that is if we can take this copy with us."

"Not this original." said the clerk, "But if one of you will sign for it I will make a copy for you. It will take a few minutes and you might as well wait for the next update so you'll have the latest information. I'll get started, but could I ask you a favor while you are waiting? Would you go into our press room and talk with the two British reporters that have been here since yesterday evening? All the clerks on the other shifts and I keep telling them we can't release any information without confirmation but they insist on waiting. I know you can't tell them anything either but maybe they will listen to you and go back to their hotel to wait. Tell them to leave the phone number or just the name of their hotel and we will call when we have something to release officially.

Hermione whispered to Harry, " This is just what we need, British news people. Lets slip them a story someone in the Ministry of Magic will recognize as coming from us with a way to reach us and they can print it back home."

Harry nodded to her and asked the clerk, "What newspaper did you say they were from?"

"I was stationed in England for eighteen months and I never heard of it.", the clerk answered. " The tiny blond girl called it **The Quibbler**."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV – What Are Friends For?

Everyone let out a gasp.

"Did you say **The Quibbler**?" asked Ginny with a sudden cry.

The clerk gave her a suspicious look. "That's what the little blond girl said." repeated the clerk."Have you heard of it?"

"I grew up in a farming area on the southern coast and my home town paper was called The Quibbler." said Ginny trying to cover her excitement. "But it's just a small local paper so I doubt it could be the same one. There must be another Quibbler."

To get the clerk's mind off the surprised tone in Ginny's voice, Harry quickly said, "Which way to your press room; in the spirit of international cooperation we'll be happy to talk to the reporters for you."

The clerk opened an inside door and pointed down the hall, "Last door on the left." he said then he took the file to a copy machine and began to run papers through.

As they walked down the hall nobody said a word. It was too weird to be true and no one wanted to jinx the thought that it was.

As Harry walked through the door he saw two familiar people seated against the wall holding hands. "Luna, Neville, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Neville jumped up and ran across the room hugging Harry first then everyone else in turn. Luna walked over in her quiet never excited manner hugged Ginny and said, " Ginny are you alright; how do you feel."

As Ginny began to turn red Harry looked at Luna and Ginny and opened his mouth to say something but Hermione quickly stepped over between them and said, "Ginny and the rest of us are all fine Luna. It's so kind of you to ask." As she said it with her back to Harry she put her finger to her lips to warn Luna not to say anything else.

Luna continued anyway, "It's nice to see all of you. I knew the story that you were killed couldn't be true. I would have felt something if any of you had died. I would have been so sad for you Ginny"

Neville also stepped over to Luna and whispered something in her ear and turned back toward Harry. "It's true.", said Neville. "She's been saying she knew you were still alive since the first news of the plane crash hit the Prophet front page. Everyone thought you four were dead except my Luna."

Harry looked like he was going to say something but changed his mind. Luna often said odd things and so he repeated himself instead, "Luna, Neville, what are you doing here?"

"We came to find you," , answered Neville, "Dead or alive."

"How did you get onto the military base.", asked Hermione.

Neville related their story while Luna sat smiling at the four of them while holding Ginny's hand.

"We were at Luna's house when we heard the news so we tried to go to the Burrow to see your family," he said looking at Ron and Ginny, "but ministry officials were there and wouldn't let us in. I told them we were your friends but they said the Weasley family asked not to be bothered by anyone and they sent us away.

Then we went to see Kingsley Shackelbolt thinking he knew us and could order the guards to let us in. He said if it were up to him he would; but he said your parents were adamant when they said they didn't want to see anybody. Then he asked if Luna's father was still running the Quibbler and Luna told him yes, but he hasn't been feeling well since her kidnapping by death eaters last year and their attack on Luna's house when you three were there to see him. Luna told him since finishing school she was doing most of the work at the paper.

Kingsley said that made her a reporter and asked if we would go to America as credentialed reporters and learn first-hand what happened. He said it was too much of a coincidence that the plane you were on was hit by lightning and crashed and he didn't trust the muggles to investigate properly. He was going to send a group of Aurors to do their own investigation for him but that would take a few days to arrange with the U.S. Secretary of Magic. He wanted us to go as quickly as possible and as soon as we learned anything to go to the British Embassy and ask for Miss Carstairs. We could tell her what we learned and she would get the report to him.

We flew to the U.S. on the first plane and got a muggle taxi to bring us to the base. Then at the gate we just showed the press credentials Kingsley gave us and they let us into this press area. But they won't tell us anything; they keep saying an official report will be released soon. While we were waiting we got the idea to try and sent a message to your parents. We told them what happened and that we would let them know as soon as any information was released."

"You sent a message from here to our parents,", Ron interrupted, "How?"

"The Galleon network we used to communicate at Hogwarts during the last year of the war." , said Ginny smiling. "You still carry your Galleon with you, and mom keeps the one I gave her on the shelf in the kitchen where she can see it. Do you know if the message reached them."

Luna spoke up, "Yes, your mother answered and thanked us. She wished she knew we tried to see them; being such good friends she would have told the guards to let us in. She also said a Patronus came to their house, they think from Hermione, but it was almost faded away and they heard it say something about "not believing" but the rest was too garbled to make out. She said your family was hoping the stories were wrong and that you would contact them.

Luna, let me have you Galleon, ", said Ginny, "so I can let my parents know we are safe and they can tell Kingsley. You two should suggest to Kingsley that all Aurors have a backup system of communication like the Galleon network." She looked at Harry and he nodded.

"If there is anybody we can trust besides your parents it is Kingsley." he said. "It will take some time to send a long message but we have to let him know what happened. First let's get out of here before we get caught. Now that we are about to reach people we trust we don't want to get trapped here by people that may or may not be safe."

"Wait a minute,", said Hermione, "so I can get the report with the latest facts from the clerk. Kingsley will want to hear it. I will tell the clerk we are taking the British reporters out with us. We don't want to leave the muggles investigating what happened to everyone if we just apparate out of here.

Two minutes later she was back and holding hands they all apparated directly to the house they were staying in.

While Ginny sent messages back and forth with her parents the others related what happen to the plane. When Neville heard Bellatrix Lestrange was alive and attacked the plane he jumped to his feet and began pacing back and forth. "It can't be, it can't be.", he kept saying. "I won't allow it, she won't get away from me."

Luna grabbed his hand and put her arm around him. "We won't allow her to get away.", she said. "All of us won't allow it."

After about an hour Ginny came over by the others and said all her family members were notified that the four of them were safe and her father had all the information in the report. He was getting ready to leave for the ministry and suggested he take Kingsley the extra Galleon Ginny had given to Fred and George. This way they could send and get messages directly to and from Kingsley. Harry looked around and everyone agreed so Ginny sent a final message telling her father not to forget to teach Kingsley how to work the Galleon. Also tell Kingsley to send them a message if he still wanted them to go to the British Embassy and ask for Miss Carstairs or was there a better option.

Neville and Luna had muggle money Kingsley gave them for expenses and nobody had eaten all day. They agreed that Hermione who knew most about muggle life and Ron, would go get some takeout food and bring it back rather than risk everyone going to a muggle restaurant and maybe get recognized. After a meal of fried chicken, potatoes, biscuits, and baked beans a dessert of store bought cake finished their first full meal in three days.

Knowing they were safe for now and the time difference made it three in the morning in London they decided to get some sleep and talk with Kingsley tomorrow. The living room couch pulled out into a bed for Luna and Neville and everyone said good night after setting up Caterwauling charms at the doors and windows.

Harry was sound asleep dreaming he was back on the plane looking out. Something was happening outside the window, something making a horrible noise, somebody was hitting him.

"Wake up, wake up." yelled Ginny. She was hitting him on his back. Harry's eyes opened and he realized it was the Caterwauling charm making the noise. He could hear Hermione and Ron in the room across the hall asking what was happening.

He jumped up and looked out the window to see Luna standing on the front walk. She sleep walked. He remembered her telling him that one time. "Get up and get dressed.", he yelled as he ran down the steps in his shorts straight out of the open door. He grabbed Luna and turned her around leading her back inside as Neville came out only half awake. "Help get her inside and wake her up.", he told Neville. "The neighbor's lights are on and at least one of them must have called the police; we have to leave."

Someone silenced the charm but everyone knew it was too late; muggle police sirens could already be heard in the distance. Harry ran back up stairs past Ron who was coming down half dressed. Harry grabbed his clothes pulling them on as he came back down. Ginny, Hermione, and now Ron were dressed and helping Neville and Luna pull clothes on.

"Do we have everything, " , yelled Harry, "the report and the Galleon."

Hermione held up the report and Ginny had the Galleon in her hand. Harry grabbed Ginny's free hand and yelled for everyone else to hang on to someone. As two police cars pulled up in front he twisted away dragging the others with him. It was four in the morning and they landed at the Washington Monument with only some street cleaners in the distance.

Neville began to apologize to everyone, "Usually I wake up if Luna gets out of bed to sleep walk but I guess I was so tired I didn't notice her leave. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.", he kept saying.

"It's all right,", Ginny told him," we know you two didn't do it on purpose. We're all safe and that's all that matters."

Finally Luna spoke, "I don't understand, I haven't sleep walked for nearly a year. Not at all since Neville and I move in together."

"Luna," said Hermione, "Ginny is right we're safe so it doesn't matter. You were in a strange bed, in a strange place, under a lot of stress over the last two days. It's no wonder you weren't sleeping well. Let's forget it and move on. There's nobody around so Ginny send a message to Kingsley; he should be in his office it is after nine in London."

Kingsley replied minutes later; the message read, "Aurors arriving this morning Ordered to meet you at noon north side of Washington Monument Be careful Kingsley"

Hermione turned to Ginny and said, "Ask Kingsley who knows about this meeting. Every name that might have heard about it."

Ginny sent the message and a minute later the response came. "Three Aurors I sent and me Americans know Aurors coming had to clear it with them Americans told Aurors coming to their office Nothing about you being alive or the meeting Kingsley"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter V – Kill or Be Killed

It was almost noon and Harry stood in the shade with his back toward the monument. Hermione and Ginny were to the east about fifty yards away near where some girl scouts were sitting on the lawn. Harry smiled at the thought of them pretending to be scout leaders but knew they were actually looking closely at the dozens of tourists walking around near them. Luna and Neville were about the same distance to the west pretending to be looking at the sights but actually watching the people around them. Harry couldn't see Ron but knew he was on the south side of the monument watching for anyone suspicious approaching from that side.

If anyone saw something suspicious they would set off a Caterwauling charm and everyone would apparate about a mile away to an alley that they had chosen earlier. Then to be doubly safe they would grab hands and apparate to another empty house they picked out to stay the night if things went wrong.

As Harry's watch showed noon he saw something to make him smile. Dean, Angelina, and Jim McGregor were walking toward him. When they reached him he shook hands and asked, "It isn't that I'm not happy to see you three, but Kingsley said Aurors were coming? I was expecting maybe our instructors or some other more experienced Aurors."

Angelina answered, "Kingsley thought you might be more comfortable with people you have known for years. Also since we have been in classes together almost twenty-four hours a day under the eyes of our instructors for the last year there is less of a chance death eaters recruited one of us compared to older Aurors who have been in the field exposed to who knows what curses and potions. All we have to do is get you to the Secretary of Magic's office; it's not like we are going into battle here."

Harry signaled the others to come over and saw Hermione signal Ron who couldn't see Harry directly. After everybody greeted old acquaintances Harry asked the question, "So how do we get to the Secretary's office?"

The words were hardly out of his mouth when four streaks of smoke were seen soaring toward them. Dean, Angelina, and Jim had never seen someone flying like that and hesitated a moment. Harry yelled, "We have them two to one; don't apparate let's get them now."

As curses flew toward them shield charms went up from the six friends and a second later the other three reacted with their own shields. Tourists were staring not knowing what was happening but among them Harry noticed a few shield charms had appeared in the crowd. There were other witches or wizards out there but were they friends, enemies, or scared neutrals?

He concentrated on the four approaching smoke trails. He recognized Bellatrix and two of the other three as her husband Rodolphus Lestrange and Augustus Rookwood a former ministry official that had been a spy for Voldemort. Harry had never seen the other man. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were shooting stunning hexes at the figures in the sky. They knew from past battles being hit by a stunning spell would cause the person hit to return solid and drop out of the sky; but they were moving so fast none had been hit yet.

To his surprise Neville and Luna were both throwing the killing curse, Avada Kedavra, at Bellatrix. Harry screamed at them, "Don't kill her! We need to question her to find her Horcrux. If you kill her she will just come back again." Fortunately they couldn't hit her either.

Then Harry saw a killing curse rise from one of the tourists in the crowd and hit the unknown death eater. He turned solid and fell from the sky not twenty-five yards away. Harry could tell he was dead and yelled louder, "Don't kill them; don't kill them we have to take them alive for questioning." It was no use the noise of the crowd screaming was to loud for anyone to hear him.

Another killing curse hit Rodolphus and he fell dead. Bellatrix realized she had been tricked into a trap. There were Fleas in the crowd waiting for her and she began to soar away toward the west leaving Rookwood to take care of himself. She was getting away and Harry knew what he had to do. As he changed into smoke he yelled, "Don't let her get away.", and he soared after her. He saw Hermione, Ron, and Ginny change and follow. He was soaring as fast as he could after Bellatrix when he saw someone hit Rookwood with a stunning spell.

Rookwood fell from about fifty feet landing in a long shallow pool of water west of the monument. Harry saw people jump into the water and move toward Rookwood. Harry hoped they were Fleas and not just muggles wanting to help but mostly he hoped Rookwood was still alive after that fall. They needed at least one prisoner and Harry yelled to the others, "Someone go back; check on Rookwood, make sure he is taken alive."

Bellatrix seemed confused. She looked back and saw Harry and Ron soaring after her. She hesitated for a few seconds not believing it could be true. Only death eaters knew how to soar and Harry was killed in the plane crash; but she was close enough to see Harry's features now and she began to fire killing curses at him.

As Harry weaved and dodged her curses, Ron who was not being fired at, was moving faster and he closed in on Bellatrix. She had slowed and was flying level as she concentrated on hitting Harry. Suddenly Ron hit her with a stunning spell and she turned solid falling from over one thousand feet.

Harry reacted like a seeker after the snitch. He accelerated and dove after her; if he could hold his wand in this form he could hold Bellatrix's arm. That is if she wasn't too heavy. Harry never tried to soar while carrying anything heaver than his wand. When Ron saw what Harry was planning he also dove after her. Harry with his head start reached her first and grabbed her wrist. He tried to soar back up but she was too heavy; he could slow her fall but not stop her. The ground was approaching fast and Ron was still too far away. Harry thought; should I save myself or continue to try to hold Bellatrix? Then he didn't have to decide. He heard Ron yell, "Wingardium Leviosa." And Bellatrix suddenly got very light. Harry soared upward with her and turned parallel with Ron.

"What do we do now," Ron asked, "Take her back to the monument in front of hundreds of muggles and whoever was firing those curses."

"No," answered Harry, "Land here in the trees by that river. We bind her before she wakes up and apparate to the alley like we planned if something went wrong.

"Well something definitely went wrong." said Ron. "First Bellatrix and her friends show up, and then I'm guessing American Fleas in the crowd. Could it have gone much more wrong?"

As they reached the ground Harry searched Bellatrix for a spare wand and the dagger he knew she always carried. He had seen her drop her wand when Ron's spell hit her but you can't be too careful he thought as he took the dagger from her belt. Then he pointed his wand and said, "Incarcerous." Ropes flew from the end of his wand and wrapped around Bellatrix. With Harry holding one of her arms and Ron the other, they apparated to the alley.

Ginny and Angelina were there waiting.

The moment Harry saw them he asked, "Where are the others."

"You're not going to like this." answered Angelina. "The Fleas grabbed everyone; they're under arrest. Ginny was almost hit by a killing curse from one of them and when she was forced to land she came down near me. Before the Fleas reached us Ginny grabbed my hand and we apparated here."

Harry turned to Ginny and asked,"Are you all right? They didn't hurt you, did they? What happened?"

"I'm fine." Ginny said. "When you yelled for someone to go back and save Rookwood, Hermione and I both turned. She was nearer and got there first. The Fleas were already around him and when Hermione landed they stunned her. I saw them take her wand and bind her so I swerved and that's when one of them shot the killing curse at me. I went as low as I could to avoid being a target and when I saw Angelina was still free I landed near her and brought her here.

"There were British Aurors there to." said Angelina. "I recognized Dawlish and two others I've seen at the ministry but don't know their names."

"They were helping the Fleas? said Harry. Shooting curses at us!"

"No.", said Angelina. "They were after Bellatrix and her friends only. The Fleas were aiming at Bellatrix at first to; but when you four turned to smoke and took off following Bellatrix they must have thought you were with her because that's when they started aiming at you.

I've heard that death eaters could fly like that but never seen anyone do it. Where did you learn it?"

"It's called soaring and it's a long story," answered Ginny, "but now is not the time. Harry what do we do? We have Bellatrix but if we go to the American's office they may kill us on sight and then start asking questions.

"We go to the house and wait as planned if things went wrong. We give Hermione, Luna, and Neville time to convince the Americans we were hunting Bellatrix not on her side." said Harry. "They know where to find us once they convince the Americans of the truth. In the meantime we question Bellatrix and find out what we can about her Horcrux or Horcruxes and any of her friends also.

Twenty-four hours had passed and there was no news. Bellatrix refused to answer any questions or say anything other than she would kill all of them soon. She did however let it slip that she didn't understand how they survived the plane crash. Harry had been right about that; she couldn't picture the combination of them apparating out of the plane into mid air then soaring to safety.

For more than eighteen of the last twenty-four hours in the interrogation section of the Department of Magic Hermione, Luna, and Neville had been doing nothing but answering questions and saying they were not guilty of anything. They all kept asking to see one of the British Aurors or any British representative of the Ministry of Magic and were told they couldn't see anyone until their identities were established.

Neville and Luna were both told they were being held on charges of attempted murder because they had been seen firing killing curses in the fight at the monument. "It was kill or be killed." responded Luna. We were just standing there looking at the sights when four people began to fire killing curses at us. We shielded ourselves first and then fired back to save ourselves and innocent people that might have been hit. In Great Britain that's called self defense. Your people were also firing killing curses; are they under arrest?"

They were finally released when nothing could be found wrong with their story, press credentials, or the record of their entry into the United States. Their wands were returned but no official was willing to meet with them because, as they were informed, "There will be no press briefings on this matter since it is considered classified."

They were also refused a visit with Hermione because, they were told, she would not cooperate by identifying herself. She insisted she was Hermione Granger, a person who was known to be killed in a plane crash three days ago. Until her real identity could be properly verified she was not allowed visitors. When they tried to tell the guards that she really was Hermione Granger, and they had known her for eight years, they were escorted from the building.

They found themselves on the National Mall. It seems the Department of Magic offices are spread out in the sub sub sub basements of several Smithsonian Institute buildings and labeled as "Historic Artifacts Research Labs". There are connected by tunnels allowing workers to move from office to office without being seen by the tourists. As they were led out Dean and Jim approached.

"We knew they would have to release you eventually so we waited." said Jim. You hadn't done anything illegal and they could only hold you twenty-four hours without charging you with a crime. Where's Hermione?"

Neville explained why they refused to release her and how no officials would talk with them.

"Us to; we were put out of the Fleas office for taking part in an unauthorized policing operation in the United States.", said Dean. "We are to be out of the United States within forty-eight hours. They said we were supposed to report to their office when we arrived yesterday and instead went without proper authority; on our own as they put it," to meet with persons unknown, possibly hostile to the interests of the United States government. "

Jim picked up with, "We tried to explain we were ordered to meet you four and bring you safely into the Flea offices but nobody cared what our orders were. They said that you four were dead so we were either lying or mistaken as to what our orders were." "We contacted Kingsley and he said he would reach the Secretary of Magic and get everything straight but it's been almost twenty hours since we talked to him and nothing has happened yet.

"I guess Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Angelina went to the safe house." said Luna. "Let's go there and decide what to do next."

Holding hands they apparated into the living room where the other were sitting discussing the same topic.

After everyone exchanged stories Harry signaled for quiet. "I say we wait another twenty-four hours to hear something from Kingsley." he said. "In the mean time we work on plan B just in case."

Ginny chirped in, "I think it's about plan X or Y by now; but otherwise I agree with Harry.

"I would like to question Bellatrix." said Jim. "Since way back at Hogwarts I had some talent at Legilimency. Snape and McGonagall questioned me about cheating a few times because I got test answers so quickly they thought I knew what questions they were going to ask ahead of time. Dumbledore had me in his office in my third year and after talking with me he's the one that told me about Legilimency.

I asked if he was going to punish me for cheating and he said, "Using the talents you were born with is not cheating. Is it cheating for a smart person to use their natural intelligence to get better grades? I think not."

He was the first person to suggest I think of becoming an Auror. "Legilimency would be a great advantage in the area." he said. He must have put it on my Hogwarts record because our instructors have had me practicing it. They said the same thing; an interrogation Auror that can sense the prisoner's thoughts would be invaluable."

"How do you want to go about this." asked Harry.

"I'm not sure," answered Jim, "I've never done it on my own. The instructors always set up a different stranger each time in a room. I would ask questions the instructors had prepared ahead of time and they watched me; especially my face and eyes. They never said a word during the process but seemed happy with the results. In the last few months I have started feeling different when I believed the person's answers than when I thought they were lying. I'm not sure it will work but if we are going to wait twenty-four hours anyway why not give it a go."

Harry told everyone the story of his Occlumency lessons and how Snape would use his wand when he tried read Harry's mind. "He never said a word out loud except Legilimens." said Harry. "I don't know if that's all there is to it or if he was using some non verbal spell he didn't want me to hear."

"I never used a wand when I tried," said Jim, but I was just starting out.

"I don't think you should try with a wand or say Legilimens." said Harry. If Bellatrix doesn't suspect she may leave her mind more open to you. If she does suspect she may know Occlumency and be able to block you out."

"I know Snape could," said Jim, "because after my talk with Dumbledore I couldn't answer Snape's questions as easily. Dumbledore must have told him what I was doing and he blocked me out."

"Dumbledore and Snape had secrets they couldn't chance being read accidently by you or anyone else and Snape was a master at Occlumency."

The group sat up late putting together questions for Bellatrix. Obvious questions using the word Horcrux were placed at the end of the list. "If we just blurt out what we want she won't answer but if we ask questions that seem to be about harmless things that we already know the answers to she may begin talking and it will give Jim a chance to get a feeling about when she is lying and when she is telling the truth.", said Ginny

When he thought they were ready Harry said, "Ginny and I took the bedroom to the left at the top of the stairs and Angelina is in the next room. Ron has been sleeping here on the couch. There are two more bedrooms upstairs and another couch in the back room so pick a spot where you will be comfortable. Everyone try to get some sleep and we'll try first thing tomorrow morning."

"Wait a minute", said Angelina, "I worked up a new watch list for tonight. With eight of us now I scheduled four two hour shifts with two people each. I know last night I was so tired and being alone I almost fell asleep on my shift. I thought two people could talk and keep each other awake better. It's almost midnight and if there are no objections I put Jim and Dean on the first watch until two so Jim could the get some solid sleep before starting the questioning. Ron, you and I have two to four, then Luna and Neville from four to six, and Harry and Ginny six to eight. Ginny I know you usually like to put a breakfast together and I figured when you're ready you can wake everyone else if we're not up already.

With no objections everyone headed off to their places.

When Luna knocked on the bedroom door at six Harry was already awake because the birds in the tree near his window had been singing since five. He shook Ginny and she rolled over and said, "I heard the knock, I'm up."

Harry called to Luna, "We're up and will be there in a minute."

Luna was in the kitchen alone when Harry and Ginny came in. "Neville is giving Bellatrix a last check and will be up from the basement in a minute," said Luna, "everything has been quiet. We're going to shower up and we'll be back down in a half hour; it's too late to go back to bed."

Ron had rolled over on the couch and was facing away as Luna and Neville went up the steps. Harry could hear someone else moving around up stairs and thought everyone must be eager to start questioning Bellatrix. Ginny must have heard the noise to because she said, "I'll start cooking. I'm hungry and it sounds like everyone will be awake soon."

"What can I do?" asked Harry. "What did you and Luna pick up when you went shopping last night?"

"Don't worry about what it is; I have the food under control," said Ginny, "you go down and look in on Bellatrix."

Fifteen minutes later the smell of country sausages cooking had mixed with the aroma of coffee. A stack of buttermilk pancakes was on the table along with a bowl of scrambled eggs. Jim and Dean came down the steps followed a minute later by Angelina, Luna, and Neville.

Ginny walked to the living room and said, "its first come first served Ron. If the others eat it all… "

There was a pop and Hermione apparated into the room with Kingsley and another man in an American business suit.

"… you'll go without breakfast." Ginny finished.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter VI – What the Secretary said.

"Ron has never missed a meal." Hermione said as she hugged Ginny.

Ron rolled over when he heard Hermione's voice and stared for a minute. Then he jumped up and picked her up off the ground in a tremendous hug. "You're safe?" he said, "Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

Everyone came into the living room some with cups of coffee and others still holding their dishes of eggs pancakes and sausages.

"Nobody was harmed," said the man in the suit, "and I would like to apologize to you all for your treatment since arriving in the United States."

Kingsley stepped forward and signaled for quiet. "I would like to introduce you all to the United States Secretary of Magic." he said. "Mr. Secretary this is Harry Potter. "

Harry stepped forward and shook hands with the secretary. As Kingsley introduce all the others in turn they all shook hands with the secretary.

I apologize again," said the secretary," and I feel I owe you an explanation for how you were treated. First however; if there is any food left Miss Granger, Minister Shackelbolt, and I have been in my office most of the night and none of us has eaten since yesterday afternoon. Perhaps we could talk over the breakfast table."

"Have a seat Mr. Secretary," said Ginny," I was just starting more sausages for the sleepyheads so help yourself."

As everyone ate Secretary Tompkins started his story. "We in the United States followed the events in Great Britain over the past eight years with interest knowing that if Voldemort was able to seize power there he would look to move into the continent next and eventually over here.

With permission from your Minister of Magic we had several of our Fleas as liaison officers stationed at your ministry office passing what your people could tell us about Voldemort and his followers to our offices here. My predecessor built up quite a dossier on Mr. Riddle and his death eaters.

After the Battle of Hogwarts, in which I understand you all fought bravely, out liaison people were concerned that because your Aurors were rounding up any surviving death eaters some of them might sneak into the United states to avoid capture. As you sent us confirmation of each capture or kill of a death eater we eliminated them from our list. As of a month ago there were still six unaccounted for. Your people told us they believe they had crossed the channel and were hiding in various countries in Europe.

We however had been detecting an upswing in dark crimes and disappearances here that our analysts said was similar to what happened in your country both times Voldemort was gaining power. It had to be more than coincidence. We new some American witches and wizards were involved because they were seen together in the same cities several times over the past six months just before or after notorious crimes were committed.

All we had were suspicions and rumors; we needed to bring their activities out into the open to have the proof we needed to arrest the Americans involved and discover if there really were any of your death eaters operating over here. We needed bait for our trap. Over the past year I have been talking weekly with Minster Shackelbolt and he suggested that you Mr. Potter would be the perfect bait. If it became known to any surviving death eaters that you were coming to America they might just want to kill you badly enough to make an open move we could use to trap them."

Harry said nothing but all the others spoke at once, "You used Harry as bait knowing he would be attacked and maybe killed."

Then Harry spoke,"I'm an apprentice Auror and so is Ron. We knew we were placing our lives in danger when we joined. We knew any day an order sending us to our death might come. But Kingsley; how could you sent Hermione and Ginny into danger?"

"I've dreaded it from the moment the plan was formed." Kingsley answered looking at Harry. "But it wouldn't work without Hermione being included. If there were indeed death eaters in the states they would be suspicious if she didn't come. The leak we planted was that the Americans wanted to debrief you about what happened with Voldemort. Hermione was as involved as you or Ron and she was now an employee of the ministry. Why, if the Americans wanted all the details they could get, wouldn't they ask for Hermione to also be debriefed?

As for Ginny I thought you might want her to come and I planned to tell you she couldn't because of her new job and the training she was just starting. You made it clear when we spoke that you wouldn't go without her so it was either scrap the entire plan and leave the Americans to handle our problem alone or let Ginny go. I had to make the decision right then and there in my office and I thought if I hesitated or put it off you might get suspicious.

You all had to act as if there was nothing to this; a working vacation. If you were experienced Aurors I could depend on you acting normally. With you and Ron having only one year of training and Hermione and Ginny no training; I couldn't take the chance of all of you acting suspicious of every stranger and every little event thinking that it might be an attack. If you were being watched a death eater would have noticed that and realized it was a trap. We didn't expect them to attack the plane and kill all those muggles. We had Fleas and Aurors at Dulles airport to guard you once you were on the ground and the entire time you were in the states. You saw how many Fleas and Aurors were involved at the monument when the attack took place."

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, then at Harry and Ron, then at Kingsley and the American. "Your right Mr. Minister, if we thought we might be attacked any minute we most likely would have done something that would have alerted the death eaters." said Hermione.

Ginny looked back at Harry and added, "I've spent most of the last eight years in danger just because I know you. I was possessed by Voldemort when I was eleven, forced out of my home to live a Grimmauld Place when I was fourteen. I fought with you and the others in the Hall of Mysteries. The last few years I've tried to fight Voldemort and his followers as best as I could. It was all to help you eliminate him so we could be together and be happy. Harry, do you think I would not have done this if I had been asked. Kingsley was right in doing what he did. Could any of us quit the fight now knowing there were still death eaters alive that might come after us or our families some day?"

Harry put his arm around Ginny's shoulder and looked at everyone else. Then he turned to Kingsley and said formally, "Your decisions were correct Mr. Minister. Everything you did was the proper thing and it is in the past now; forgotten." Then he looked at the Secretary and said, "Sorry for interrupting you please continue."

The Secretary pick up his narration with,"When the plane was destroyed we all thought you were dead. Our investigators said nobody could survive; and incidentally when there is time our people would like to hear how you did. They all think it would be a useful thing to know. After the first day when it was discovered there were four bodied unaccounted for I had a glimmer of hope but my advisors insisted it had to be an error in the manifest; they still insisted nobody could have lived.

When I was told two British reporters showed up the next day I thought they were either Aurors sent by the Minister without clearing it with my office first or they were death eaters come to make sure you were all really dead. I ordered they be admitted to the base morgue but not told anything. It would give my people a few hours to check on them but I didn't expect them to just sit there all that time. Once I was sure they weren't death eaters but really reporters I told the clerk to get them to leave but they insisted on staying for some kind of news about you. Then some muggle officials from your Air Safety Ministry showed up and finally convinced them to leave. I still don't know what happened to the reporters or the muggle investigators; they all seem to have just disappeared"

Luna and Neville stepped forward and Neville said, "We're the reporters Mr. Secretary, Luna's father owns a paper back home and we wouldn't leave because Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are our friends and we've learned never to give up on our friends."

Then it was Harry's turn to confess,"And we were the Air Safety investigators. We wanted to find out how much time we would have before the bodies were identified and it became known we had survived. We knew the death eaters would be after us again once they knew."

"Why didn't you turn yourselves in to my office where you would be safe." asked the Secretary.

We didn't know where your office was located and we didn't trust anyone else. Somebody leaked that we were on the plane and we didn't know if it was one of our people or one of yours. We didn't know you both planned the leak. If we turned ourselves in we could have been walking right into a trap set by a death eater spy. Besides everyone thought we were dead. We talked it over and decided if we came in to an office and claimed to be four people everyone knew were dead we would be held as mental. They don't call the Secretary of Magic to come check on mental people; but it would make the news and let the death eaters know we were alive.

Kingsley and the Secretary nodded and the Secretary continued with his story, "When I was told three more Aurors arrived we were ready. At the airport Fleas were to pick them up and bring them to my office but they avoided my people and got a muggle taxi instead. My people called in and I told them to follow these new Aurors and find out where they were going and why."

This time it was Angelina, Dean, and Jim that stepped forward. "That would have been us that you were having followed." said Dean. "We were told to meet the others and lead them to your office."

"That was my fault." said Kingsley. "With what little information I had I didn't know for sure what was happening over here and thought it best not to involve your Fleas because they were strangers to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. They most likely would not go with strangers but would trust their friends."

"I see your point." said the Secretary as he continued, "I was also confuse. I didn't know why more Aurors were sent here and they did not report to my office first as is protocol. The Fleas called the taxi company claiming to be muggle police looking for an escaped criminal. They gave the company the cab number and discovered it was headed to the Washington monument so I arranged a mixed group of my Fleas and your Aurors to get there first and surround the monument. By now I was half expecting these new Aurors were sent to find some death eaters and take them back to London before we could question them. I ordered my people to protect themselves and the thousands of muggle tourists by using whatever force necessary.

When the first four death eaters appeared flying through the sky my Fleas were startled. This flying business is another thing my people want to hear about when there is time. When the death eaters started firing killing curses my people responded with deadly force. Fleas reported two of the death eaters were killed quickly, but it turns out only one was actually a death eater, the other was one of the American wizards we have been watching. That confirms the theory that you death eaters and our dark wizards are working together.

Then the report states four more death eaters rose from the crowd and began to fly away. My Fleas cast curses but the unexpected appearance gave these four time to get out of range. Somebody on the ground, not one of my Fleas or your Aurors, hit the third original death eater and my people managed to reach him as he fell into the reflecting pool. They captured him stunned but alive. We are holding and questioning him. So far he hasn't told us anything useful. The report said two of the four new death eaters turned back to try and rescue the one we captured and one of them was also captured. The other escaped along with the forth original death eater and the two others in the second group."

Now Harry spoke again, "The second four you thought were death eaters were us. When we saw the first two killed by your Fleas we knew we needed captives to question so we soared, that's what it is called by the way, after the other two to try and stun them. I saw someone hit Rookwood…"

"That was me.", interrupted Angelina.

Kingsley opened his mouth as if he were going to ask something but changed his mind; so Harry continued, "…and he fell in the water. I yelled for one of our people to go back and try and save him because I thought your Fleas might kill him if he survived the fall. Ron and I were out front and we still thought we had a chance to stun the fourth death eater."

Before the Secretary could ask about what happened to that fourth death eater Hermione broke in. "I'm the one who landed and was stunned, thankfully not killed by your people." she said sharply.

"We don't kill randomly." said the secretary. "As Luna told our interrogators it was kill or be killed at the monument. An unconscious man would never be killed and when you landed Hermione my Fleas still thought you were a death eater. But you weren't firing curses so naturally they would just stun you to be safe in case you were planning to start.

"I am the one that they did shoot a killing curse at," said Ginny, "and I wasn't doing anything but landing."

"The Flea that did that reported you swerved back toward the monument and dived at the crowd. He thought you were going back to attack someone." said the Secretary. "In a battle decisions are made in a split second and sometimes the wrong decision is made. Thankfully you were too fast to be hit. Again I apologize."

Harry was grateful for the girl's distractions and before the Secretary had a chance to get back to the fourth death eater he stepped forward and addressed the Secretary, "Well he said, your Fleas killed two death eaters and captured one. What do we do now?"

Everyone looked at him but said nothing because Bellatrix sat in the basement and Harry was ignoring her completely.

"I think you should all come to my office first." said the Secretary. "I will arrange for rooms for all of you in a safe place and then we can meet and decide what comes next."

"If you don't mind," said Harry, "we have personal things in the house to gather up. Why don't you return to your office and start your arrangements and Minister Shackelbolt can stay here and escort us to your office when we have all our things together". He looked at the others, "Would thirty minutes be enough for everyone to get organized?"

Several people nodded and Angelina said, "Thirty minutes should be fine. Excuse me, I'll go up to my room and start packing my things."

As she left the Secretary shook hands with everyone and said,"I'll be expecting you."

After he disapparated Harry turned to Kingsley and said,"Mr. Minister we have something to show you and it means big trouble."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter VII – Legilimency Has Its Uses

"Mr. Minister we only have thirty minutes for you to hear the rest of the story and make a decision." said Harry in the formal tone used for official conversations with a superior.

Kingsley looked at him and asked, "What happened to the fourth death eater you and Ron chased."

"This way Minister." Harry said as he opened the basement door.

In the basement sat Bellatrix and when Kingsley saw her, his expression changed to one of horror. "She has a Horcrux." said Kingsley. He almost couldn't get the words out.

"Maybe more than one. Rookwood to," said Ginny. "I saw him killed at Hogwarts."

"I know he was killed." said Kingsley. "When Harry mentioned his name to the Secretary I almost blurted that out but the look on Harry's face stopped me."

"And we don't know who else." added Hermione. "Any of the death eaters could have made one or more once the secret of Voldemort's claim to eternal life became known after his return."

"Why didn't you say this to the Secretary?" asked Kingsley.

Everyone else wanted to know this to and they all looked at Harry.

"The Secretary said only six death eaters were still on the American active list." answered Harry. "I had to assume they haven't guessed about the possibility of Horcruxes any more than we had and it's not the job of an apprentice Auror to tell foreign government officials our state secrets. I thought since you are here it is your decision about what to tell the Americans. If you intend on keeping the fact we captured Bellatrix secret from the Americans we have only minutes left to move her where the Americans won't find her so we can question her. If you decide to give her to the Americans we can go to the Secretary's office now; none of us actually have any belongings to gather."

"We keep her for now," said Kingsley, "but where?"

"The British embassy?" asked Ron. "They won't be able to take her from there."

"No." said Kingsley. "The British government can't officially hold her in the United States according to half a dozen treaties. If we were caught it would be a major diplomatic incident. I would have to turn her over to the Americans. But on the other hand if some rouge Aurors or British civilians held her without government orders or authorization and they got caught it would simply mean for them expulsion from the United States and a trial in Britain by a court which would most likely have a favorable opinion considering the circumstances. Our government would be blameless.

Harry looked around and saw the others nodding. He said, "Mr. Minister if you will lead the way up to the kitchen we will be right behind you."

As Kingsley reached the top of the steps he heard a noise behind him and turned to look at the empty basement.

He delayed a few minutes before apparating to the entry office of the secretary to the Secretary of Magic. "The Secretary is expecting me.", he said.

As she went into the office to announce him, nine other people apparated into the room holding hands. "Sorry for our delay, Mr. Minister", Harry said. "I hope we didn't keep you and the Secretary waiting."

Kingsley looked tremendously relieved that he wouldn't have to explain to the Secretary why he was the only one to be there when ten people were expected. He turned to explain to the woman who had just announced him and was coming back out to her own office that there wouldn't be just him to see the Secretary. She had stopped and was looking at the nine young people who just arrived. She had an odd and displeased look on her face as she looked them over carefully. Then Kingsley realized that maybe the look is not so odd considering the circumstances. She is afraid she will be in trouble for announcing one well known and distinguished guest and bringing in ten; nine of them just teenagers. Kingsley didn't want to let her worry and said with a smile,"The Secretary is expecting all of us."

The Secretary of Magic was at his desk and rose as they entered the office. He said, "All the arrangements are made for the top floor of a hotel to be blocked off for your use." Though he had the authority to do whatever he wanted the Secretary followed the diplomatic course and asked, "Would you like me to station Fleas at the entrances or would you prefer to provide British security personal. "

Harry spoke before Kingsley had a chance to say anything. Turning to Kingsley he said, "Mr. Minister if you don't mind we'll provide our own security. There are nine of us, all friends, and after the last few days we would like to have a little time together to just relax."

Kingsley took the hint and turned to the Secretary as protocol required and said, "It's all right as far as I'm concerned. You nine showed you can take care of yourselves. Mr. Secretary you are our host in this country I leave it up to you."

The Secretary didn't look happy about not having any Fleas watching and listening to what the Brits might be up to; but he could not think of a way to refuse their request without being insulting. "That's fine with me," said the Secretary, "in fact it will free up some of our personal to continue the search for other death eaters. If you need anything please send a message to this office. We will meet here tomorrow at nine to plan a strategy; if that's all right with everyone."

Everyone nodded including Kingsley.

"Then a guard will show you to your hotel." said the Secretary and he lead them out into the waiting area.

As soon as they left he said to his secretary sitting at her desk, "Get me the Flea in charge of this disaster. I want him in my office in five minutes." She seemed to be relieve that the Americans were gone and she wasn't reprimanded over what happened.

When supervising Flea Tom Kowalski entered the Secretary's office he didn't look happy; neither did the Secretary.

Tom waited silently until the Secretary finished what he was writing. The Secretary looked up and started with, "This operation stinks like three day old fish. These British kids aren't stupid; they survived the plane crash when everybody said it was impossible. They know there is a real leak somewhere because they know the four death eaters showed up at the monument almost as fast as your team did. They avoided being caught by either us or the death eaters for four days even though they were in a strange city. They captured the fourth death eater and were smart enough not to tell me because they knew they would have to turn their captive over to us. They knew I was holding out on part of the explanation I was supposed to be telling them."

Kowalski answered, "I agree, they're good; I wish I had them on my team but we can't trust the Brits without knowing the leak. I investigated my people as thoroughly as anyone has ever been checked and found nothing. It has to be one of them. But there is something else wrong here. The death eater we're holding is Augustus Rookwood and he is listed as being killed at the battle of Hogwarts. That means either the Brits made a mistake thinking he was dead or they deliberately lied to us in their report."

"That's interesting," said the Secretary, "Potter mentioned his name and didn't seem surprised a dead man showed up alive. Kingsley however was surprised when Potter said Rookwood's name; he really thought Rookwood was dead. If Potter is keeping the fourth death eater secret but doesn't care about mentioning Rookwood the fourth death eater must be someone even more important; maybe someone even Potter thought was dead and isn't?

"You don't think it's Voldemort?" asked Kowalski with a tremor in his voice.

"I don't know; and I don't like that I don't know." said the Secretary. "You have to listen in on the Brits. Find out everything they are saying and doing but don't get caught. Kingsley doesn't trust us any more than we trust them and we don't need them to get their British dander up and pull out leaving us stuck with the entire mess. Somehow we have to start building some trust between us and until I figure out how to go about that just don't make it worse by being caught spying on them.

"Won't they expect us to be spying on them?" asked Kowalski. "I certainly would expect it if the roles were reversed."

"Me to," said the Secretary, "and Kingsley will also. I didn't say it would be easy but I need to find out what they are keeping secret. Do your best. And give this order to my secretary on your way out."

Kowalski glanced down at the open piece of paper and the Secretary said, "Go ahead, read it; it concerns your team."

It said, "Order all available personal not currently involved in priority tasks to begin searching houses and other structures in the Washington area that are vacant because of foreclosure. Look for signs of magical concealment of a prisoner who is to be considered extremely dangerous. Notify the Secretary of Magic directly of any discoveries."

After the American escort left them in the hotel Harry stood in the eight floor lobby with his finger to his lips; Kingsley looked at him and nodded not saying a word. Without a word Harry pulled out his wand pointed to Hermione and Ron and wiggled the wand just slightly. They nodded, pulled their wands and began walking around waving their wands their lips barely moving with non verbal spells.

Harry signaled Angelina, Dean, and Jim and made a motion of opening a door then opening a window. They nodded and went off in different directions. Kingsley who was still standing silently by Harry saw Dean turn the knob at a fire exit. He looked down and up then cast a spell into the open door. He closed the door and nodded to Harry then moved on down the hall entering one of the rooms.

Harry looked at Luna and Neville and pointed to the air vents in the walls. They got their wands out and move from one to another waving their wands without saying anything aloud. Finally Harry waved his wand and said Muffliato. Then he turned to Kingsley and spoke for the first time since they got to the hotel, "I think we can talk without being overheard now.

Kingsley said, "I was going to suggest the Americans might be listening in on us but I see you and your friends already took that into account. You work well together."

Harry responded, "Ron, Hermione, and I were on the run for nine months with death eaters constantly looking for us. Angelina, Dean, and Jim were also in hiding. Ginny, Luna, and Neville operated the resistance movement in Hogwarts all that year without getting caught. If we didn't learn to be secretive we would all be dead by now."

"What did you do with…her?", asked Kingsley after almost saying Bellatrix's name and the thinking better of it.

"We hid her in another house we had scouted out earlier in case we had to move quickly." answered Harry. "But we can't leave her there long. Secretary Tompkins knows we have the fourth death eater I saw it in his face when I never finished the story of Ron and me pursuing her. He most likely doesn't know who it is because she would have been on the killed list not one of their six survivors he mentioned.

He also knows we were using foreclosed houses to hide so he will have his Fleas searching every one in the area. I don't know how many such houses there are or how many Fleas he can assign to search but it won't be more than a day or two at the most before someone finds her. Hermione cast all the usual spells around her to prevent muggles from seeing or hearing her if they should enter the house but any decent Auror would notice the enchantments and be able to break them and find her."

"He doesn't trust me any more than I trust him.", said Kingsley. "There has to be a big leak somewhere for those death eaters to be able to find you at the monument so quickly. I have checked our people over and over and found nothing suspicious so the leak must be on the American Flea team.

We have to get information on her Horcrux and anyone else that made one before the Americans find out what happened and blame us for not telling them. When we thought Voldemort was the only person to have made one we believed it best to keep the whole idea secret. The fewer people who knew it could be done the less likely it would be for someone else to do it. Now that the secret is out we have to inform the Americans soon because if they get their Yankee indignation up they may kick us out of the country and decide to handle the problem themselves. I don't want to let what we started to be finished by someone else; or worse be left unfinished. We and the Americans have to start trusting each other but I don't know how to get real trust started."

"We had a plan to question her but it was postponed when you showed up at the house." said Harry.

"Let's hear it then." said Kingsley.

Everyone gathered around having finished the tasks Harry had asked them to do regarding security and Harry went on, "Jim has some training in Legilimency and we prepared a list of questions for him to ask hoping he will at least be able to get some feeling about the situation."

"I know of his training, I've read your instructor's reports on each of you.", said Kingsley. "Let me see the questions you put together."

Hermione produced a paper with the questions and Kingsley said, "It will take me some time to go over this; perhaps we should order some food delivered. After everyone has something to eat and maybe a nap we will have more energy to start the questioning."

"Excuse me Minister," said Ginny "but we don't think it's a good idea to eat anything prepared by an outsider. If you don't mind Hermione and I will go out and buy some food randomly at different stores and prepare it ourselves. The rooms here have small kitchens that can be used to make simple meals."

"What is our world coming to when people as young as you are so suspicious?" said Kingsley laughingly. "Of course you're right, it may not be safe to order food. Do what you want. I keep forgetting the reason I offered you positions at the ministry is because of the things you learned while surviving the war. "

Two hours later with everyone fed and rested the group apparated to the house where Bellatrix was held. Kingsley had deleted a few of their questions and added a few of his own saying he thought some of them might alert her and make her close off her mind. It was agreed that Kingsley would stay out of the room since his presence would make Bellatrix more hostile to questioning. For the same reason Neville, Harry,Ginny, and Hermione whom Bellatrix had tortured at Malfoy manor because she was muggle born stayed with Kingsley. Jim, Angelina, Dean, and Luna went in; Jim to ask the questions and the others to observe his reaction if Bellatrix actually answered any of the questions. Although everyone thought it was safe for him to be there Ron decided he would rather stay with Hermione.

While the questioning went on they discussed the situation with the Americans and what could be done to improve it. It came down to the answers from Bellatrix; until they knew if they could get information from her no decision could be made. After an hour Harry suggested Kingsley go back to the hotel. "Mr. Minister," he started with the formal tone again, "If the Secretary tries to reach you and you're not at the hotel he will be suspicious. Also you yourself said the government can't be involved with holding Bellatrix in the United States. If they should happen to find us here it would not be good for you to be present."

Kingsley agreed and before he left he said the obvious, "Let me know right away if you learn anything."

In the room with Bellatrix things started slowly. Only Jim and Bellatrix said anything. The others sat in silence watching Jim's face mostly but as the questions went on Luna began to watch Bellatrix more and more closely finally almost staring at her as if in a trance.

Jim started with questions about England in general, then about Malfoy manor and her relatives, then things like how long Bellatrix had been in the United States. At first Bellatrix didn't answer the questions at all, she cursed at them and ranted how she would kill them all. She began to brag that they couldn't hold her for long, that she would escape, that friends are looking for her and would find her soon.

After about two hours Bellatrix noticed Luna staring at her and said, "You're that Lovegood girl that was held in the dungeon at the manor. You escaped with Potter and the others."

The others now turned and looked at Luna instead of Jim. She was sitting straight up with her eyes wide open hardly blinking.

Luna said slowly in her emotionless voice, "You know your husband was killed by the Fleas at the monument. You know it will be weeks before he can form a proto body come back and find you, that is, if he gets someone to help him perform the spell. You know Rookwood is being held by the Americans and won't be able to escape and save you either. You're hoping Yaxley, Dolohov, Selwyn, and your new American death eater friends are looking for you but you really think they are idiots and don't actually expect them to come."

Everyone was now watching Luna.

"How did you find out the names of the others? What did the Americans tell you?", Bellatrix yelled; her voice becoming unsure for the first time.

"You're afraid the Americans know about your Horcrux hidden in the museum here in Washington.", continued Luna in her quiet way. "You thought leaving it in open view in the building used as an office by the American Fleas and guarded by the American security people made it safe. And you guaranteed the others their Horcruxes would be safe too. You know when they learn we found their Horcruxes and have destroyed them they will want to find you to kill you not rescue you."

Bellatrix began to yell louder, "You and the Americans are fools. Even if you do find the others' Horcruxes and destroy them you will never be rid of me." She started to laugh.

"You think we don't know about your other Horcrux, the one that you left in England," said Luna still without raising or lowering the tone of her voice. "the one in the British Museum on Bloomsbury St."

Bellatrix began to shake. "I'll kill you, I'll kill you.", she screamed. And then she stopped. Her eyes rolled back and she slumped in the chair she was tied to.

The whole conversation between Bellatrix and Luna had taken only one minute. Angelina got up and still watching Luna went over and felt Bellatrix's neck. "She's dead.", Angelina said. "She must have had a heart attack or a stroke when she realized her plan wouldn't make her immortal any more than Voldemort's did. Somebody better go get Kingsley he will have to decide what to do next. "


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter VIII – I Spy a Spy

With Kingsley back at the hotel Harry decided to leave Bellatrix's body where it was and have everyone go back to the hotel together. They could come back to get her if necessary or simple tell the Americans what happened and they could get the body. The important thing was to let Kingsley know they think they found the Horcruxes; that is if what Luna said could be trusted.

After returning to the hotel and rechecking the security spells; Jim, Angelina, and Dean told the story of what happened between Bellatrix and Luna. Kingsley, and the others who hadn't heard the entire story till now, sat staring at each other. Finally Ginny took Luna's hand and asked, "Luna, do you remember what happened when Jim was questioning Bellatrix."

"Of course I remember." , Luna said, as if Ginny had just asked if she could remembered her own name.

"Tell us., said Angelina.

"You were there,", said Luna, "you saw what happened."

"We don't understand it," said Angelina, "we need you to explain it to us."

"Jim was supposed to ask Bellatrix questions that would let us find out what was in her mind." said Luna, "and that was what happened. As he questioned her, her thoughts came out of her head. They were pictures of people at first and she thought about the names of some of the people with their picture. Then she had thoughts of the museum we were in when the Fleas were questioning us. Pictures of other buildings appeared in her mind; then certain objects inside that first museum and other museums.

Each object had next to it the picture of one of the people she had been thinking of and one of the objects had her face by it. She was telling us things that she knew weren't true and I just told her what she really had on her mind. As I did her thoughts switched back to London and the museum there. Her own picture appeared on another object and I repeated that to her. Then she had a pain in her head and it was starting to hurt me to so I stopped watching her and all her thoughts disappeared."

Jim spoke up, "When she said her friends were going to come and save her I saw faces to, but I thought I was just remembering the faces from the fight at the monument. The monument made me think of the Fleas' offices in the museum and I remembered that to, but it was just fuzzy images. I couldn't identify anything."

"What Luna saw is what should happen in Legilimency." said Harry. "A person gets images from the other person's mind. When Snape was trying to teach me Occlumency he was able to see pictures of my memories and once I cast a shield charm that reflected his charm back on him and I got images of some of his memories. It was like looking in a Pensieve."

Ginny looked at Luna and said, "You have been seeing pictures from people's head for years; haven't you. It's how you learn things so quickly. Looking back you always knew who your real friends were and who was lying to you. It's why you're better than most people at dueling like during the fight in the Hall of Mysteries. You know when and how an attacker is going to act and you're able to start on a defense before the attack comes. You said you knew we were alive after the plane crash because you would feel it if something happened to us."

"You mean Luna has been reading our minds all this time." said Ron. "She knows what we're thinking."

"No," said Luna, "I know when you're thinking about me and sometimes I can tell what you're thinking if it is really intense. But everybody does that; right. We all know when our friends are thinking of us. You are all my friends so I get more of your thoughts than other peoples' thoughts but I would never intrude on your thoughts on purpose unless I felt one you were troubled or in danger and needed my help. I looked deeper so I could help you Ginny when we were on the Hogwarts express going to school the year after Dumbledore's death and I sensed you were worried about…"

As Ginny opened her mouth, Hermione stepped toward Luna and broke in with," We can talk with Luna about this later; right now we need to talk about the Horcruxes."

"You think what Luna saw was true then." said Kingsley.

"Of course it is." said Hermione. "Ginny was right, looking back on the last four years Luna's gift should have been obvious to us all."

Harry was looking at Ginny. This was the second time in three days Luna was talking about Ginny and Hermione interrupted. He made a mental note to talk to Ginny about it when there was time. Then he said, "There's only one way to find out. Luna, could you write down what building and what objects you saw in detail?" We'll go and check them for signs that they are Horcruxes."

"It will take a few minutes," Luna said, " there were five different buildings here in Washington and the one in London. Some buildings had only one object and some of them two or three objects in the same building. There were ten people besides Bellatrix; Rodolphus, Yaxley, Dolohov, Selwyn, Rookwood from England and five Americans I don't know because Bellatrix pictured them as the Americans but didn't think names." Hermione gave Luna some paper and a pen and she sat down with Ginny to make the list.

"If we do find the Horcruxes," asked Ron, "how do we destroy them? We don't have the Sword of Gryffindor with us and I doubt they have any Basilisk fangs in the museum."

"If we find even one we go to the Secretary of Magic and explain everything.", said Kingsley. The Americans know their own resources better than we do; maybe they do have something that will destroy a Horcrux. If necessary we send for the Sword of Gryffindor. I believe it is still in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts."

When Luna finished the list she gave it to Harry who looked it over and passed it to Kingsley. "Anyone up for a visit to an American museum?" he asked.

"What about Bellatrix's body?" said Dean. "How long can we leave it sit in the house."

"Another hour or two won't hurt her." said Kingsley. "I would like to know for sure what we have before I have to explain to the Secretary how she died while being held illegally. If we can show him an end to this situation he will be more amenable to forgetting what we had to do to solve the problem."

Rather than apparating into a public museum the group took the elevator down and decided to walked the three blocks to the closest building listed by Luna which Hermione located on the maps she had obtained on the first day. "At least we made some use of all the work I did at the library.", she said.

As they walked Dean came closer to where Harry and Kingsley were walking together and talking. He interrupted and said, "We're being followed. I spied them when we came out of the elevator three men have been keeping us in sight but maintaining their distance."

"Fleas, spying on our movement; I would have done the same thing." said Kingsley as he continued to walk, "I recognize one of them from outside the Secretary's office. Harry and I were just discussing what we should do about them. We're not doing anything but seeing the American sights and it would be not only suspicious but also a lot of trouble to try and lose them. I think for now let them follow and if we need privacy later we can shake them off."

Neville and Luna approached and Neville said, "Luna thinks …."

"…we're being followed.", finished Harry. "Since all of us came together and have been looking back I think they know they were spotted. They have dropped way back, but I think the two other men ahead of us that have been watching us as we've been getting closer to them may be more important. These two don't look like Fleas; get your wands ready just in case and let the others know."

Neville and Luna went over to Ginny, Hermione, and Ron who were walking together while Dean fell back a few steps to walk with Jim and Angelina who were just behind. Thirty seconds went by and as they were passing curses shot from the two men Harry had spotted. Shield charms appeared instantly and the curses bounced off harmlessly.

From just behind two witches came down the steps of the closest building also firing curses. Dean, Angelina, and Jim all fired stunning spells at the witch nearest them and she fell to the ground. Likewise spells form Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Luna, and Neville hit the same man in front of them and he went down. When the saw their friends fall the other witch and wizard turned to smoke to soar away but before they got going they were both hit by stunning spells. The witch was taken down by the three Fleas that had been following and had came running quickly from behind when the attack started. The other wizard was flattened by Kingsley who took the man down by himself with a single spell.

"I haven' t had to defend myself in over a year now." said Kingsley. "I seem to be slowing down compared to all of you."

"You got that one by yourself with one hex." said Harry. "I consider that pretty good."

"These are four of the Americans Bellatrix pictured in her mind." said Luna looking down on the unconscious forms.

"Luna, don't say anything to the Americans Fleas about that," said Harry, "as far as they are concerned we don't know any of these people."

In less than a minute six more Fleas surrounded the group. Kingsley took the lead with them saying, "We wanted a little break before meeting with the Secretary tomorrow morning and were going to see some of the art your American museums are famous for. When we were attacked we responded in self defense but we don't know any of these people.

"We do." said Kowalski. "I'm the American supervisor for this operation and these are four of the people we have been watching for the past year for possibly being associated with your death eaters. Attempted murder charges should let us put them away for a long time. Minister Shackelbolt, I think the Secretary may want to talk to you about this; would you come with me."

"As I said I have an appointment to see him at nine tomorrow. " said Kingsley. "Why don't you take the night to interrogate these four and that may give us something important to discuss at the meeting. In the mean time I would like to continue our trip to the museum of art. If the Secretary feels he needs to talk with me today he can find me there or back in our hotel." Then to show that even the supervising Flea had no authority over a visiting representative of a foreign government Kingsley turned and walked away leaving Kowalski standing there.

As they entered the National Gallery of Art they had to look over every piece to find the one on Luna's list. Luna explained that Bellatrix had pictured buildings and objects in her mind but not exact locations. It took some time to find an odd looking statue that Luna had described on her list next to what said American, name unknown.

"So how do you tell if something is a Horcrux." Jim asked.

"I could feel it when I was near one of Voldemort's Horcruxes but that was because of my connection to him." said Harry.

"We could all feel the effect of the locket when we were wearing it." said Ron.

"We can't wear the statue, we can't even touch it." said Ginny pointing to a sign that read, "Please refrain from touching the art work. Violators will be removed from the museum and or prosecuted."

"Get around me and block the view." said Jim. "I'm going to touch it and see if I get any feeling about it."

"Let Luna do it." said Angelina. "She seems to be more sensitive."

"No!" said Ron sharply. "Luna may be too sensitive. The locket had really bad effects on me and we don't want Luna harmed. Let Jim try first he is less sensitive. If he gets nothing then Luna can try. "

They formed a ring around the statue and checked if there was a guard in the area. Not seeing anyone Jim reached out and rubbed his hand over the statue. His eyes rolled and he staggered back but Ron and Dean caught him.

They set him down and in a few seconds he seemed to recover. "Wow," he said, "I got visions of a man being murdered. I felt like I was actually killing him myself."

"Well I guess Luna was accurate in her reading of Bellatrix's mind." said Neville.

"And we have something important to tell the Secretary at the meeting tomorrow." added Kingsley.

"It's early," said Ginny, "let's go and check another one before we go back to the hotel. I'll be happier if we can say we found more than just one."

The next closest building on Luna's list was the Museum of Natural History only a short distance up the street. Luna had three object listed there but it was going to be hard to find any of them; there were tens of thousands of things on display and it closed at 5:30 giving them only thirty five minutes.

A prehistoric human skull was the item listed next to Doholov's name and they decided time allowed for only one item. Since a sign saying "Early Humans" pointed to the left they move in that direction for several minutes before finding a display of eight skulls enclosed in a glass fronted cabinet.

"Now what?" asked Dean. "It has a lock so the skulls can't be touched. If we use Alohomora to open it we'll be seen by at least some of these tourists and somebody is bound to call a guard."

"We only have twenty minutes left to closing," said Angelina, "maybe if we wait the crowd will thin out and we'll get a chance at it."

Hermione said, "No, that won't work because when a museum closes for the day guards walk through to make sure everyone gets out. We need to do something now, before a guard arrives in this room."

Jim was running his hand across the front of the glass a good foot from the skulls inside but shook his head. "I don't get anything." He said. " Luna you try."

Luna move up to the case and put her hand on the glass. Slowly she moved her hand from in front of one skull to the next. At the fifth skull she stopped. Her hand began to shake and Neville rushed behind her just in time to catch her as she fell backward.

"I guess that's it." said Kingsley.

"I guess that's what? came the voice of the Secretary of Magic as he came through the doorway behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter IX – How Do You Destroy a Horcrux?

"I guess that's what? repeated the Secretary. "Supervising Flea Kowalski reported the capture of the four Americans that attacked you and that you told him if I wanted to see you I could find you in the art museum or your hotel. I had just received another report that makes it imperative that we talk now but you were in neither place so I came to find you. It seems you've been keeping secrets from me."

"I believe that goes both ways Mr. Secretary. I apologize for the way I dismissed Mr. Kowalski", Kingsley replied, "but my people and I were onto an important lead. I decided I had to check it personally to see if it was real before telling you at the meeting tomorrow. You are correct that we need to speak and the sooner the better. We have a lack of trust between us that I regret but now it will be necessary, for you and me at least, to trust each other completely."

"Your lead has proven true, I take it." said the Secretary. "And from your tone I believe it is a tremendously important discovery."

"Yes, said Kingsley, "tremendously important and it means I must ask you to come now to our hotel to talk and, perhaps, then to accompany us to a house here in you city."

"I would prefer to return to my office to talk," answered the Secretary, "and unless you can give some substantial reason not to I must insist."

"As I said we must now trust each other so I will speak frankly." said Kingsley. "We both know there is a leak supplying secret information to the death eaters. You admit that?"

"Yes" agreed the Secretary. "Kowalski assures me he has triple checked all his people and the leak is on your side."

"My people make the same assurances to me and claim the leak is on your side." Kingsley said. "Perhaps there is another alternative; the leak is not in either the Fleas or the Aurors. Perhaps our communication channels are being accessed by death eaters or your buildings that are used by muggles every day have been compromised. I do not know and it does not matter where the leak is; as long as we both admit there is one. The only alternative is we trust neither your Fleas nor my Aurors, we communicate face to face only, and we meet and talk somewhere we know is safe.

What we need to discuss must be done now and our hotel was picked by you just this morning. It is unlikely death eaters have access to it and my young friends here have gone over it thoroughly. I believe your Mr. Kowalski has tried to listen in on us; if he had no success I believe the death eaters won't either."

They both turned to Kowalski and he nodded. "Yes we tried," he said, "every way we knew and some ways we never tried before but couldn't see or hear a thing. I complement your friends on the efficiency of their spells."

"Very well," said the Secretary, "your hotel then."

"On more thing." said Kingsley. "These young people have much of the information you need to hear, things even I am not up to date on. They were not in a position in our country to get or pass information and cannot be the leak. I hope their actions these past few days have proven to you they are safe and I request you allow the nine of them to accompany us so we can get the entire story out in the open."

The Secretary hesitated a few seconds but finally nodded. "Yes," he said, "I agree; the reputation of Mr. Potter and his friends is know even in America; in fact they have been building quite a reputation right here with their exploits over the last four days. Let go quickly, time is important.

Back in the hotel everyone gathered in one of the larger suites and Kingsley began, "Mr. Secretary, do you know what a Horcrux is?"

"Never heard the term, but perhaps in the states we call it something different." he answered.

"I doubt it," said Kingsley, "it is and ancient device that hadn't been used in centuries in Great Britain or anywhere else in the world that I am aware of until a few years ago." Mr. Potter and his friends know more about the story than I do so Harry you start and the others can add in any details you may leave out."

Harry started, "Mr. Secretary, a Horcrux is an object in which a witch or wizard stores part of their soul to gain immortality."

The Secretary stood up, "That's ridiculous; it can't be done."

Everyone began to shout,"It is real, we've seen them. We know what they can do."

Harry held up his hand," Please everyone sit and be quiet. Mr. Secretary allow me to finish before you pass judgment.'

Everyone settled down and the Secretary looked at Kingsley. Kingsley was nodding his head, "It's all true," he said," I was only there for parts of this but I have seen the records Mr. Secretary. Everything Harry will tell you has been verified. We in Great Britain thought it so terrifying an idea we have kept it secret in the hope the knowledge would die out as it did for hundreds of years before Voldemort revived it. Please listen to Harry."

The Secretary took his seat and Harry continued,"With part of the soul bound in the Horcrux if the person's body is killed they remain earth bound. A new body can be grown and the person essentially is brought back to life. I saw Voldemort do this using my blood as part of the ritual."

He related the story of Tom Riddle and his quest for immortality. How Dumbledore discovered the secret of the Horcruxes and how they had destroyed the Horcruxes and eventually killed Voldemort. Hermione and Ron added occasional details and the others listened along with the Secretary. Only Ginny had ever heard the entire story.

The Secretary stopped Harry only once. "Much of what you are telling me happened years before you were born or while you were just a baby; " he said, "how did you learn this and what makes you believe this fantastic tale is correct."

Harry asked if the Secretary had ever heard of a Pensieve. The Secretary said he had seen one once years ago when he was still taking classes and knew the theory but had never used one. Harry went on, "Before he died Dumbledore stored all the memories he could find concerning Voldemort and showed many of them to me using his Pensive.

Also all the headmasters of Hogwarts going back a thousand years kept a daily record of events they considered important, it's called **The Headmasters' Log**. Dumbledore went though it and extracted all the entries that pertained to Tom Riddle, my family, me, and my friends; hundreds of entries. He instructed his successors that after his death they should continue adding to these extracts until Voldemort was dead. He said it's the sort of thing historians would want someday; full of all kinds of details. Last year Headmistress McGonagall let me read some sections of it.

_Author's Note_

_ The Ministry of Magic believing it is important for everyone including muggles to know what happened, granted J.K. Rowling access to Dumbledore's excerpts from the Headmasters' Log and gave her permission to relate Harry Potter's story to muggles in the form of a fiction story. Years later when it was realized muggles didn't believe the story to be real and thus it did not violate the secrecy agreements, as an historian for the American Department of Magic assigned to relate this story I was also granted permission to read and post these excerpts for public viewing at www. The Headmaster's Log._

What I just told you came from there, the Pensieve memories, and my personal encounter with Voldemort and his Horcruxes. With Voldemort dead we all considered the matter at an end until we four were in the plane coming here. I saw a death eater that I had seen killed at the Battle of Hogwarts soar up to us and hex the plane. That was the cause of the crash; she was trying to kill me by destroying the plane.

We knew she had returned because she had made a Horcrux. Voldemort must have shared the secret of what Horcruxes did with his death eaters after I saw him return. Rookwood, the death eater your people are holding was killed also and you've seen for yourself he is alive again. All the Horcruxes must be found and destroyed; and tonight, we found two of them."

The Secretary looked around at everyone else in the room and they all nodded in turn.

Some said,"It's all true, we've seen it."

He looked back to Harry, "Go on." he said.

"You knew when I told you the story of the battle at the monument that Ron and I captured the fourth death eater. You didn't say anything but you knew. This is a personal thing between us and her that has been going on for our entire lives. This death eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, is the one that attacked the plane, she tried to torture and kill Ginny. She did torture Hermione."

Neville stood, "She tortured my parents into insanity when I was just a baby. They are still in the mental ward at the hospital back home. Dean, Jim, and Angelina looked at Neville, they had not known this.

Harry started again, "We wanted to question her on our own so we didn't tell you or Minister Kingsley. We thought we could learn about the Horcruxes and put an end to all of this. It turns out that Luna has the gift of Legilimency and was able to see into Bellatrix's mind and find there are twelve Horcruxes. Bellatrix has made two for herself and her ten friends have made one each. All but one are here in Washington that last one is back in London. When you found us in the museum earlier we had just discovered one."

"I've been patient and listened to your story but this is enough. Mind reading is impossible. It is only an ancient legend so your story falls apart under its own weight."

"It's not impossible." said Harry. "I've know four people besides Luna who could do it.

The Secretary again looked to Kingsley as if he expected Kingsley to start laughing and admit it was all a big joke.

Luna got up and walked over to the Secretary. "I want you to think of something personal, something nobody but you would know."

He looked at her and said, "This is nonsense you're wasting time."

She looked him in the eyes and in her quiet steady voice said, "Please sir, do as I say. This is very important more important than you can imagine."

Harry began to wonder if Luna could do more than read minds. There were times back at Hogwarts when she asked people in that same tone to do things they didn't want to and they always did as she asked. He remembered asking her to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party once but didn't know why he asked her and not some other girl.

The Secretary looked at her then closed his eyes and did as she asked. Luna looked at him for almost a minute then said, "You miss the dog you had when you were a boy. It was big and yellow and it pulled you on a sled in the snow. It was hit by a muggle car and died when you were only nine."

The Secretary opened his eyes and stared at Luna saying nothing. She looked back and said, "You called the dog Merlin."

He said, "It's true, it's all true isn't it?"

"Yes Mr. Secretary it is all true." said Kingsley. "Now, as quickly as possible, we must gather all the Horcruxes here in Washington and place them where the remaining death eaters cannot get them. If they move them to new locations we may never be able to find them again.

Then we must destroy them to prevent the death eaters that were killed from returning."

"You said you found two of them before I came to talk with you. I take it they are in the two museums you visited?" asked the Secretary.

"Yes." answered Harry, "They are hidden in open sight where anyone looking at them wouldn't realize what they are, protected by your government's people. We couldn't take them without causing a major incident with the muggle guards."

"What do you need?" asked the Secretary.

This time everyone looked at Kingsley. He said, "We need somebody with the authority to remove objects from the museums, some of your most trusted people to accompany my people as guards, and a secure place to take the Horcruxes."

"Kowalski has the authority as Supervising Flea to confiscate anything deemed a security risk. He can pick two or three of his most trusted people as guards." said the Secretary. "Are you willing to trust my people now?"

"As I said earlier," responded Kingsley, "We have to start trusting each other and now is the time. Luna, you take any of our people you want and gather the Horcruxes."

"Take them to my office," said the Secretary, "and I will have Kowalski tell my secretary you have permission to stay there until we return. After we have them how do we go about destroying a Horcrux?"

"That is something we can discuss later." chimed in Hermione. "We know several ways, none of them easy but now we have to get them before the remaining two death eaters realize we are on to them."

Of course," said the Secretary, "in the mean time, Mr. Minister, I would like you and Harry to accompany me to a house my Fleas discovered this afternoon. I believe you have been there already Mr. Potter."

"It seems your Fleas are very efficient." said Kingsley. "At the museum I said I might ask you to accompany us to a house in your city but it seems you already know what I intended to explain."

The Secretary summoned Kowalski and gave him the necessary orders. Luna and the others accompanied Kowalski to get the Horcruxes while Harry, Kingsley and the Secretary apparated to the house where Bellatrix was interrogated.

A number of Fleas were outside and inside the house and Harry related the story of the interrogation and how Bellatrix died when she discovered her Horcruxes were known and were going to be destroyed. "We didn't intend for her to die and didn't kill her on purpose."

The Secretary responded, "Yes, we know. We had the body examined by our healers and they told us she died of broken blood vessels in the brain. They said excessive stress or fright were most likely the cause."

I intended to bring you here to confront you and get the story; but you gave me the story freely at the hotel. I want you to hear how we found the house. This is Special Investigating Flea Frank Logano and he was the first to arrive here. Frank tell them what you found."

"When I received orders at 11:45AM to check houses that were being repossessed," began Logano. "I split my team into four units, one for each section of the city. I checked for muggle police reports of unusual incidents in the past day and found three. The earliest was two days ago, a loud disturbance at four in the morning. The description in the muggle report sounded like a Caterwauling charm to me but nothing was found there.

The second report was from this morning; neighbors reporting people in a house that was being foreclosed and I learned it was the second house you people stayed at and we already knew of it.

The at 12:30 a third report came in and was in progress, muggle police responding to two odd looking people causing a disturbance at a foreclosed house. I apparated there and found two wizards yelling and using Cruciatus curses on the muggle police. I called my men and began to fire hexes at the two wizards. They attempted to kill me but my men arrived quickly and when the wizards saw they were outnumbered the turned to smoke and flew away toward the west.

When we entered the house we discovered a Concealment charm and a body in a chair. I notified the Secretary as ordered."

"Thank you for that report Frank." said the Secretary, "You can go and finish processing the house."

The Secretary looked at Harry and Kingsley and asked, "Do you understand the problem."

Harry answered, "How did the two death eaters find Bellatrix before your Fleas? They had to know we were using foreclosed houses to hide and there were only a few of us that knew that. The nine of us and Minister Shackelbolt have been together almost constantly since this morning. None of us had time to tell the death eaters. You knew Mr. Secretary; who did you tell about the foreclosed houses?"

"I told Kowalski as the supervising Flea and I issued an order to search foreclosed houses down the chain of command. Almost all the Fleas in Washington knew there was something going on in foreclosed houses."

"This is a matter of timing." said Harry. "When did you tell Kowalski, what time exactly?"

The Secretary thought for a minute and said, "Right after you left my office this morning, about 11:30 give or take five minutes."

"Then it couldn't be Logano or any of the Fleas." said Harry,"The muggle police got the call about the two death eaters before 12:30 so the death eaters had to know even before you issued the order. They needed time to get here, find the Concealment charm and remove it to find Bellatrix's body and then cause the disturbance that made the neighbors call the police. Not even Kowalski had time to tell them. Was he the only one you told?"

"Yes," said the Secretary, "I only discovered you were using foreclosed houses early that morning when the Minister identified Miss Granger and she related her story. She offered to take the two of us with her to see the rest of you. That was about 7:00AM."

"Who else was there when Hermione told you of the foreclosed houses; Kowalski, Logano, anyone at all? asked Harry.

"Nobody," said the Secretary, "Just Me, the Minister, and Miss Granger."

"And your secretary," added Kingsley, "she was there.

"Well of course," responded the Secretary, "she keeps notes on all my meetings. She has been with me since I took office years ago. She was check by security over and over before I considered hiring her."

Kingsley spoke up again, "Has she been checked in the last year for the Imperious curse? If she knew at 7:00AM she had over four hours to tell the death eaters and for them to search for the house. That's how Voldemort gained power twice. He got one person under the Imperious curse, then another; key people who could tell him the operations inside the ministry. Once he knew the operation he was able to take control without anyone realizing what was happening.

Back in London we have everyone checked every month since Voldemort's defeat. You can't always tell but often there are signs of the Imperious curse and the person can be freed of it. You should have her checked as soon as we get back to your office."

Harry interrupted, "We have to go now! If Kowalski told her they were going to get the Horcruxes and had permission to stay in your office she had time to tell the two remaining free death eaters. They can't let us get the Horcruxes and destroy them; they will have to attack our people and if they are desperate enough they may try to attack your office to get their Horcruxes back."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter X - A True Gryffindor

Having been an Auror for many years before becoming Minister of Magic, Kingsley knew the importance of quick action and didn't hesitate for a second. "Mr. Secretary," he said, "you return to your office and confine your secretary while Harry and I go to warn our people of the likely attack."

"At once," responded the secretary, "and I will send additional Fleas and any of your Aurors that are still around to help you. What museum do you think your people are in?"

"Hermione told me they would start with the farthest one from your office and work their way back." said Harry. "This would give a shorter distance to carry the Horcruxes and lead them back toward safety instead of away. It's been over two hours since they left but I don't know how long it will take in each museum to search for the Horcruxes. Kingsley and I will start at the farthest and you have a few of your Fleas start in each museum. Everyone will work back toward your office."

With that the Secretary called all the Fleas still in the house and issued orders to them and he disapparated back to his office in the Castle. Harry grabbed Kingsley's hand and disapparated to the Museum of Natural History where they began to move from room to room and floor to floor as quickly as they could without knocking down any of the hundreds of muggle tourists.

Luna stood in front of an odd looking axe in a Gallery of medieval suits of armor and weapons and she nodded. Neville was holding her arm as she swayed back and forth. "Please sit and rest." Ginny kept saying to her. "This is the sixth Horcrux and you almost passed out at each one. You have to rest or you won't make it to the other four. At least sit while we get this one off the wall; a few minutes at least."

Kowalski signaled to a muggle guard who happened to be walking through the hall and showed his credentials. As in the case of every other Horcrux the guard refused to take responsibility for allowing the axe to be removed and insisted on calling his superior. As they waited Neville took Luna to a nearby bench and sat with her. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron stood near the wall with the axe with the others spread in all directions around the room mixed with the muggle tourists. Kowalski's two Fleas and three Aurors stood in one corner with the five Horcruxes they had already removes from other buildings.

The guard returned with a man in a suit and approached Kowalski. As he showed his credentials to the new man and began to explain that he intended to remove one of the artifacts and take it out of the museum there was a sudden flash of green light from amid the tourists. Four killing curses hit the two Fleas and two of the Aurors guarding the Horcruxes. They fell instantly dead. Muggles screamed and began to run.

The third Auror had pulled out his wand but didn't seem to know who to hex. With the crowd of muggles going toward the exits he couldn't tell who had cast the killing curses. Dean and Angelina spotted a woman moving toward where Ginny, Ron, and Hermione stood guarding the axe with their wands ready. Dean and Angelina had all the tourists between them and the Horcruxes so though they saw the flash of the killing curses they had no idea of whom if anyone had been hit; but both realized innocent people would be trying to get out not in and both shot stunning spells knocking the woman to the floor.

Neville and Luna pulled out their wands as they rose off the bench and move toward the remaining Auror who was scanning the few people who had not reached the exits yet. Suddenly one person who seemed to be heading out whirled around and fired another killing curse at the remaining Auror. As he fell, Neville and Luna both hit the man who fired the curse with stunning spells dropping him across one of the exit doors.

Kowalski who was near the far door pushed the guard and his supervisor out the exit near where they had been talking and spun around. Less than five seconds had passed since the first flash of the killing curses and two Fleas and three Aurors lay dead on the floor with the stunned man and woman death eaters.

The room was now empty of tourists. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were still near the axe, wands drawn. Neville and Luna stood in front of the other Horcruxes with the dead at their feet. Dean and Angelina were near the center of the room while Kowalski was near one exit and Jim in front of the other.

Kowalski called out, "Did anyone actually see what happened?"

"There were four of them." said Neville. "I was looking toward the Horcruxes and saw the two Fleas and two Aurors go down together. The other Auror was killed two seconds later by the death eater we stunned by Jim's doorway."

"Dean and I saw the woman going toward the axe and stunned her." said Angelina. "She has to be one of them or she would have run out with the other muggles."

"If Neville saw four killing curses at once that means two of them must have escaped with the muggles when the realized how many of us there were here." said Kowalski. As he spun around looking out the door near him he added, "Jim, watch so they don't try to come back in your door for another shot at us."

Everyone was looking at Kowalski waiting to hear what they should do next when, with the warning to Jim barely out of his mouth, another flash of green killed him.

"Their still in the room", shouted Ron. "Their under invisibility cloaks or disillusioned. Get your backs against a wall so they can't get behind you and watch for any shimmering of the background." Then he began to fire stunning spells across the room at the far walls. Each stunner moved slightly more to his left.

"Keep watching." Hermione yelled they'll have to move or be stunned and it will cause imperfections in their cloak or spell that can be noticed. Be ready to stun any sign of movement."

Jim had moved back into the room to get his back to one of the walls and was about five feet from where Ginny stood next to the axe. Suddenly he yelled, "A wand, Ginny look out!" He jumped at her and pushed her into a suit of armor which crashed to the floor just missing landing on top of her. Her wand flew from her hand broken by the weight of the armor hitting it. The killing curse hit Jim instead of Ginny. Six stunning spells hit where the wand had appeared and a man fell to the ground dead. Stunners normally don't kill but six of them at once was too much for any one person.

The six of them all stood shocked by what happened. As they looked at the dead body of Jim on the floor Ginny was trying to get up when she saw the axe seem to lift itself off the wall. It swung down at her and she instinctively reached out and grabbed a sword laying on the floor next to her. It was heavy but she held it up as best as she could in an attempt to block the axe from hitting her.

As the axe hit the sword there was a scream that caused the others to whirl around. Ginny was still on the floor holding the sword above her but the axe had been split in two, smoke and what seemed to be a specter rose from it making the horrible sound. As it disappeared Ginny thrust the sword higher and another scream was heard. The body of a man appeared seemingly from nowhere; the sword sticking into his stomach. As he fell the motion pulled the sword from her hands and it lay on the ground between them.

Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville rushed to her to see if she was hurt. Ron yelled," Dean, Angelina, search the death eaters for wands and weapons, bind them, and then keep watch. We can take the chance of another attack."

Ginny was in shock with minor bruises and scrapes but not seriously hurt. They moved her away from the death eater's body and the bloody sword still stuck in his stomach; but they kept her lying on the floor. She looked up at them and told them how she saw the axe begin to move. "My wand was broken so I simply grabbed the nearest thing to me which turned out to be the sword that fell with the suit of armor." she said. "It was the only protection I could reach."

"There was no sword with that armor." Neville said. "All the weapons were on the wall and only the axe is missing now."

"There had to be a sword with the suit," said Ginny, "there it is on the floor."

Hermione reached down and picked up the sword. "It destroyed the Horcrux as they hit." she said. "Look at it Ginny."

There was blood from the death eater on it but still shining and visible was the name; "Godric Gryffindor."

"This is the third time the sword presented itself to a Gryffindor in mortal danger from a Horcrux," said Hermione, "first Harry with Riddle's diary in the Chamber of Secrets, then Neville when he destroyed Voldemort's snake, and now you Ginny; it saved your life and destroyed another Horcrux."

As they stood looking at the sword Harry and Kingsley came running into the room. When Harry saw Ginny on the floor he rushed to her and fell on his knees. "Ginny, what happened. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Ginny answered but they won't let me get up."

"In your condition you should take it easy." said Luna.

Before Harry could say anything else; again Hermione jumped in. "Luna means after being knocked over and almost killed, then destroying a Horcrux and killing a death eater; you are probably in shock and should rest."

Harry looked at Ron but he didn't seem to notice anything odd and just shrugged saying, "Ginny is tough, she'll be all right."

Just then Dawlish and two more Aurors along with three more Fleas arrived. One of the Fleas looked at the bodies on the floor and then at Kingsley. "What happened?" asked the Flea.

Kingsley responded, "Harry and I just got here." He turned to Ron and waited.

Ron began to tell them the story with the others breaking in to add details of what happened.

"I thought there were only two death eaters left." said Harry, "Now you say there were four here."

"We got two left from the number of Horcruxes Luna saw in Bellatrix's mind." said Ginny. "Maybe Bellatrix just didn't think of the other two, or maybe they just didn't make a Horcrux for themselves yet. As far as we know there can be dozens of other death eaters out there and maybe other Horcruxes too. How will we ever know for sure?"

"We'll have to question all the prisoners and with Luna's help we will discover the answers to both of those questions." answered Kingsley.

When the entire story was finished including how Jim died saving Ginny; the Fleas nodded and one of them disapparated to the Secretary's office to report and arrange for the removal of the prisoners and the bodies, while the others secured the doorways both as a safety precaution and to prevent muggles from entering.

Ginny got to her feet and picked up her broken wand. "I loved this wand." she said.

Luna approached and said, "You can use my spare wand until you get a replacement." as she pulled a second wand from her left sleeve.

"No thanks," said Ginny pulling another wand from her own sleeve. "I have been carrying my own spare since you first mentioned spare wands two years ago back at Hogwarts. I just couldn't get it out fast enough after being knocked over by the armor."

Kingsley, the remaining Fleas, and the Aurors were looking at Luna and Ginny with expressions on their faces that seemed to say, "Now why didn't I think of carrying a spare wand if these young girls were smart enough to do it." Kingsley looked at Harry and as he opened his mouth, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville each pulled a second wand out. "I started carrying a spare after my wand was broken during a fight with Voldemort in Godric's Hollow and Hermione had to save us both." Harry said.

Kingsley stood there a few seconds as if lost in thought then asked, "Harry, you know more about this sort of thing than I do; how do you think we should proceed?"

"We have the sword of Gryffindor," interrupted Hermione holding it up, "I say we destroy the five Horcruxes we have immediately before something else interferes; then go and do the same for the other four here in Washington."

Harry looked at the others and said, "I agree; Mr. Minister would you like the privilege of dispatching the first one."

Kingsley gave a quick look around the room and everyone nodded in turn. He took the sword from Hermione and walked to where the five Horcruxes sat then turned and looked back at Harry. Harry made a stabbing motion with the wand in his hand and Kingsley turned to the nearest Horcrux and thrust the point of the sword into it.

There was a scream as the soul fragment rose from the broken Horcrux like smoke, thinned out and vanished.

"Luna, Dean, Angelina, you haven't had a chance yet." said Harry.

Each in turn took the sword and destroyed a Horcrux. One more remained and Harry took the sword. Luna didn't want a turn. She said she wasn't sure how it would affect her and everyone agreed she shouldn't take any chances of being harmed. Looking at Jim's body that still lay on the floor Harry said, "This is for him.", as he destroyed the last Horcrux.

"Let's get out of here so the Fleas can do their job and we can get the other four Horcruxes." said Harry. "Luna where do we go from here?"

Following Luna from museum to museum, over the next thirty minutes, Ron, Hermione, and Neville each destroyed one Horcrux. Now standing before the final one Harry was about to thrust the sword when the Secretary of Magic walked in.

"When I got to my office with a pair of Fleas my secretary tried to kill me." he said quietly. "She is being held in a prison hospital for examination. What is the situation here? I did get the report of the attack and the death of your friend and the others; and I offer my deepest regrets."

"Nine of the Horcruxes have been destroyed," answered Harry, "and I was just about to destroy the last one we know about here in the States. Would you like the honor Mr. Secretary?"

The Secretary took the sword of Gryffindor from Harry and swung it striking the last Horcrux. It screamed as smoke rose from the split where the sword hit and the broken Horcrux just lay there on the floor.

"Is that truly the end of this?" he asked.

"We won't know for sure until the prisoners are questioned." answered Kingsley. "If Miss Lovegood agrees to help with the questioning it should only take a few days. Contact me as soon as anything is known; one way or the other. Dean and Angelina, I want you to return to London with me and we will pick up the Horcrux in the British Museum and destroy it. You others can stay here with Luna and get the vacation I promised you.

"Maybe we can finally get to see a Washington Wizard's Quidditch match" sighed Ron.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter XI – More Work, Less Vacation

"Harry," asked Hermione, "will you tell Ron the Washington Wizards are a muggle basketball team and not a Quidditch team. He's been bothering me to go to the library and find out how to get tickets to a match; as if a muggle library would have information like that even if the Wizards were a Quidditch team."

Harry rolled his eyes and answered, "I've told him three times already and he doesn't believe me. He insists a bunch of muggles wouldn't call themselves wizards, so it has to be a Quidditch team. The next time we are in the Secretary of Magic's office I planned to ask him to explain it to Ron."

"That will be tomorrow." said Ginny. "His new secretary sent a message and asked us to be there at nine tomorrow morning. I hope this means our debriefings are over and Luna is finished sitting in on the interrogations of the captured death eaters. We've been here ten days since Kingsley left. Despite what he promised about a working vacation back in London, it has been more work and less vacation than I planned on. Sunday was the only day the Fleas weren't asking us questions and we spent it here in the hotel rooms resting; we saw more sights and a better time when we were on the run."

"The two weeks Kingsley said this would take before we left London were up yesterday along with our paid leave." said Harry. "We haven't had a break yet and Ron and I have Auror training classes starting Monday. We need to be there. This meeting tomorrow better be a formal thanks for the help, and have a nice trip home speech."

"I hear Luna, Neville, and Ron in the hall." said Hermione. "It's after eight. They were at the interrogations a long time today; I hope that's a sign they finished up."

As they entered the room Neville was holding Luna's hand and didn't even give her a chance to sit. "Get to bed and get some rest," he said, "you're exhausted." As Luna walked toward their room Neville turned to Harry and said firmly," I don't care what the Americans say Luna needs a break. They have her at every interrogation to read the prisoner's thoughts and as soon as one group finishes another group hurries her to a new room and prisoner. She hardly has time to eat.

The original death eaters we captured have given up the names of more than twenty other Americans involved with their group and all of them had to be interrogated too. The Fleas don't know how much energy it takes Luna to read their thoughts; they must think she just sits there napping. Harry, you have to tell the Secretary of Magic she needs rest before she gets sick. I won't allow her to go again tomorrow."

"The Secretary has asked all of us to meet with him at nine tomorrow." responded Ginny. "Maybe it's all over. We just finished eating after getting back from our debriefing; food is still out. Would you or Ron like me to get something for you while you tell Harry what was new today?"

Both Neville and Ron replied together, "I'm starving, thanks Ginny and something to drink too please."

As Ginny put two plates together Ron started. "Neville and I took turns sitting in the interrogations with Luna as usual," he said. "The good news is there seems to be no more Horcruxes. All the latest death eaters the Fleas captured using Luna's information seem to be new recruits, brought in by the original group in the last few months. Some of them know what Horcruxes are but haven't made one for themselves yet. Some of them are so new they didn't even know about Horcruxes. If we were six months later in coming over here they would most likely all had Horcruxes and we would never been able to get rid of them. It's a good thing the Americans asked Kingsley to send us over when they did."

Ginny brought in the food and drinks and sat next to Harry. "If that's the good news what's the bad news?" she asked.

"Neville spoke up, "They have a dozen new names Luna got from this last group. That means a dozen more interrogations at least. That's why I said Luna needs a rest. She wants to go on and insists she is fine but all you have to do is look at her to see how much this has taken out of her."

Everyone agreed they all needed a break. It was decided the Secretary of Magic had to be told in no uncertain words; "We are willing to continue to help but only after a few days rest. Otherwise we head back to London."

"It's late," said Hermione getting up from her chair, "let's all get a good night's sleep before seeing the Secretary tomorrow. Come on Ron, goodnight everyone."

At five of nine, with the six friends holding hands, all apparated to the office of the new secretary to the Secretary of Magic.

"The Secretary is expecting you." she said as she stood and walked to the door, "I will let him know you are here."

Six gasps left six mouths as they entered the office. Seated across from the Secretary of Magic was Kingsley Shackelbolt.

"This can't be good." whispered Ginny into Harry's ear.

After moving next door into a conference room with enough chairs for everyone; the Secretary started with, "I see by your faces that you were all surprised to see your Minister of Magic back in the States so soon. He brings some bad news but before I turn the floor over to him I would like to thank all of you for your cooperation. I know we have worked you all too hard and you all deserve a few days break; but that will be up to your minister.

I ask you Miss Lovegood to give me just two more days with the new prisoners. My Fleas tell me they couldn't have discovered the information gathered in the last ten days without your help and they think this will be the end of it in America. Each new prisoner seems to be less involved with less new information but the Fleas insist, and I agree, they must be sure before calling an end to the investigation. If even one person with knowledge of Horcruxes escapes we could be back to square one in less than a year. I promise you no more than four hours of interrogations each day and you will be finished."

Harry spoke up, "We talked this over last night and all agreed that Luna's health is suffering. This is a more difficult and exhausting process than you would think. Luna needs a few days rest and a chance to relax before continuing." He looked at Luna and Neville.

They leaned in toward each other and whispered for a few minutes while everyone waited. Finally Luna replied, "Today is Tuesday. I would like to take the rest of the day and tomorrow to be with Neville and rest a bit. Thursday and Friday I will come in and do as you ask but on Saturday I must leave for home. My father hasn't been well and I have left him for too long already. Now if you don't mind we will be off."

Without waiting for the Secretary of Kingsley to say a word Luna and Neville got up and disapparated.

The Secretary didn't look happy about Luna and Neville leaving without permission and he turned to say something to Kingsley who quickly spoke first, "You have to remember Mr. Secretary Luna and Neville are not in the ministry service. They are civilians and didn't have to help at all. We don't have forced service in Great Britain so I cannot order them to help, I cannot stop them from returning home when they want, and I wouldn't if I could. I know how important this is but they are correct in telling you it is an exhausting procedure even if it doesn't look so. If Luna gets ill you won't get any more help from her. Let them have the two days and consider it lucky you got this much from her."

"I apologize for my reaction; normally I do not have people just get up and walk out on me," said the Secretary, "but you are correct. Miss Lovegood cannot be forced into working for us here in the States nor for you when you return home and I know you will still need her cooperation. Perhaps you better tell your people what you told me earlier."

Kingsley looked at Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny but said nothing for some time. Then he stood and began to pace back and forth finally saying, I have bad news as the Secretary said and didn't think I should pass it over communication channels. I also thought you deserve to hear this from me personally.

"First, Dean, Angelina, and I accompanied Jim's body back to his family and stayed for the funeral. I told them the story of Jim giving his life to save Ginny without bringing Horcruxes into it. I also gave them all your regrets for not being able to attend the funeral because you were still rounding up the last of the gang responsible for his death and assured them you would see them upon your return to London.

Then we went straight to the British museum in London and found the object Luna described as Bellatrix's second Horcrux. We took it back to the ministry into the Department of Mysteries where security is best and stabbed it with the sword of Gryffindor."

Again he hesitated then added, "Nothing happened; no scream, no smoke, no sign of a Horcrux being destroyed. I consulted with our best experts but nobody knows anything about Horcruxes except what you people have told them. Some ancient books were found that describe what Horcruxes are and two books had instructions on how to make a Horcrux and how to destroy one, but none said anything about what should happen at their destruction. Is there always signs of destruction or can a Horcrux be destroyed without showing outward signs? Did Luna describe the wrong object, or could we have collected the wrong object?

We need Luna to come to the ministry and perhaps to the museum when she returns to London. Maybe if she looks at the object we destroyed she can tell us more. We must know if Bellatrix has a second Horcrux somewhere and she can still return. I would like you four to break the news to her and persuade her to continue to help."

"It involves Bellatrix," said Ginny, "so we won't be able to stop her from helping. If she hears this, the problem will be to keep her here for four days to finish up with the Americans."

The others agreed. "Let's keep this to ourselves until we get home unless you want her and Neville on a plane back to London today.

Kingsley looked at the Secretary and said, "No. As important as Bellatrix is we have to be sure the situation here is really over first. We can't be bouncing back and forth between here and home every time a new clue is uncovered or someone has to be interrogated. Our people from the ministry are checking into the artifacts in the museum to see if there might be a similar item to the one Luna described but there are about a million things stored in dozens of rooms and vaults that have to be examined. Only a few of our people are cleared for security reasons so it will take them days to separate out look alike items for Luna to examine. Let her finish here and then all of you can come home together. I will fly back today and keep you up to date if there is any news.

In the mean time, the Secretary tells me you four are done with your debriefings. I believe I promised you this would be a working vacation so why don't you use the next four days to relax and then return with Neville and Luna on Saturday. Your paid leave will be extended and I brought British muggle IDs and muggle credit cards so you can go to muggle resorts and eating establishments. Also I expect you may want to buy some clothes to replace what you lost in the plane crash. I bet Hermione and Ginny especially are tired of wearing and washing and wearing the same two outfits over and over each day. Please remember the ministry's bank account isn't bottomless so enjoy yourselves but be reasonable with the spending.

The Secretary broke in, "Excuse me but we have muggle condos at both the Ocean City and Virginia Beach resort cities not far from here. You're not the first foreign guests we have visiting and most of them want some get away time too. You four and Luna and Neville are welcome to use them. Spend some time at the shore, there is shopping, restaurants, and night clubs in both locations.

My son and daughter tell me there are quite a number of witches and wizards that spend their vacations in each place. It seems they have a code to identify each other. If someone says I really needed this vacation, my boss is a real witch; you answer my boss is a witch too."

The four friends looked quickly at each other and all said, "That sounds great, we accept."

"One last thing," said Harry, "Ron wants to see an American Quidditch match and he thinks the Washington Wizards are the local team. We tried to tell him they are a muggle basketball team but perhaps there is a local team we can see."

"Actually" said the Secretary, "the Washington Wizards are both. There is the muggle basketball team but there is also a Quidditch team with the same name. Being it is midsummer there are no matches till the season starts in the fall but I think I can get you into one of their summer practice sessions if you like. Why don't you go to the shore and I will set up a visit with the manager of the Wizards and get back to you. It's not that far that you can't apparate over for a few hours and get back to the shore for dinner. I will have one of my people escort you to the resort when you are ready.

Hermione took the IDs and credit cards from Kingsley and everyone said good bye. Kingsley left for the airport to get back to London and the four friends apparated to their hotel to tell Luna and Neville of the plans and see if they also wanted to spend a few days at the shore.

A young man from the Secretary's office showed up a few minutes later and asked which resort they would like to visit. After he explained the advantages and disadvantages of both places they decided on Ocean City because there was a National Park nearby with isolated areas where they could be alone on the beach far from the crowds of muggles but there were still plenty of shops, restaurants, and clubs to enjoy.

After the young man helped them check into the Department of Magic's condos and left; the girls decided to do some shopping for both themselves and the boys who decided they would rather go to the beach to enjoy the waves than shop. That night they went to a muggle night club and listened to the latest American music and did some dancing. Using the Secretary's code hint they managed to find two American witch-wizard couples and made arrangements to meet on Wednesday so the Americans could show them the various activities around the town.

Early Wednesday they met their new American friends and after a quick lesson went out on small motorized boats the Americans called "Jet skis". The Americans also suggested a thing called parasailing which is flying while hanging from a big kite. When the Americans raved about the feeling of being able to soar through the air and look down on everyone on the ground the six friends laughed but declined the invitation. Instead they apparated across the inlet to Assateague National Seashore to an isolated area that few muggles get to and enjoyed the private time on the beach.

On Thursday, Luna and Neville apparated back to Washington to do some interviews but the Fleas were good to their word and the interviews finished up in the specified four hours allowing Luna and Neville to return to the condo by two and get in more beach time. After yesterday's time in the sun, Luna's and Ginny with their fair complexions, decided to limited their time in the sun and waves today and just sit under a beach umbrella talking; but the boys and Hermione spent most of the afternoon body surfing and were exhausted by the time they went back to their rooms.

A message was waiting for them. The Washington wizards Quidditch team practice was at nine the next morning and they were invited to come meet the players and watch. Luna and Neville again had to finish the interviews but the others all accepted the invitation.

Just before nine Luna and Neville left for the interviews and the young man that helped them on Tuesday showed up to escort the others to the practice. The team manager took them around to see the facilities and introduced them to the players who were surprised at some of the technical questions Harry, Ginny, and Ron asked about tactics. When the three of them confessed they had played on their school team the manager asked if they wanted to play on the second team for a few minutes during the practice.

Harry and Ron tried to beg off saying they hadn't played in three years but Ginny took them aside and said, "They don't expect us to be brilliant and this will probably be our only chance to say we got to practice with a professional team. Let's give it a go."

The manager led them to a changing room and supplied team practice robes and fair quality brooms. Then Ron talked with the second team keeper, Ginny with the three chasers, and Harry with the seeker getting some quick pointers about the tendencies of the first team players they would be going against in the practice session. Then they were out on the pitch. The manager reminded the players that Harry, Ron, and Ginny were there as guests of the Secretary of Magic to enjoy themselves and were amateurs. "Let's be careful and not put any of them in the hospital." he finished.

Ron went to his goal and the first string keeper to his. The snitch and the bludgers were released and then the Quaffle was tossed in the air by the manager. The action was faster and tougher than any Hogwarts' match Harry had played in. Not as bad as the world cup match they had seen but still after a few minutes Harry realized the difference between amateur play and professional play

If the players were taking it easy on the three of them Harry couldn't tell it. He was dodging bludgers left and right. In the first fifteen minutes Ron had stopped five shots but let three times that many in. Ginny managed to score three goals but Harry thought the two other chasers were generous by giving her the Quaffle more than they normally would; still she was doing great.

Then Harry saw the first string seeker dive suddenly and he started to follow but he caught sight of the snitch to his left and realized the seeker was trying a Wronski feint on him. Harry pulled up and swerved left after the snitch. When the other seeker looked and saw Harry hadn't fallen for the feint but actually had spotted the snitch he turned but it was too late. Harry grabbed the snitch and headed to the ground.

Ron and Ginny met him there in a group hug along with Hermione who had come down from the stands. "Thanks Ginny," said Harry, "you were right I had a great time and would have regretted it if you hadn't talked us into playing."

"Yeah!" said Ron. "I have a new appreciation for the pros now that I had those shots coming at me. I could hear them wiz by but didn't even see some of them including two of the five I actually stopped. These pros are amazing."

The manager and players gathered around congratulating Harry for getting the snitch and also Ginny and Ron for their play. The manager said, "I have to admit this wasn't my idea. When the Secretary of Magic suggested I offer you a chance to practice with the team I thought he was asking for trouble. Amateurs could get hurt easily I tried to tell him, but he said you were good and now I see why. Ron, blocking five first string shots after not playing for three years is outstanding. Ginny you could play chaser on most teams. "

The first team seeker broke in, "Harry not falling for the Wronski feint and then catching the snitch is great playing. If you would like to play professionally here in the States let me know; I will give you a recommendation to my friends on the other teams."

"I saw Viktor Krum pull it on Lynch at the world cup a few years ago and tried it out myself in a match or two; still I did fall for it at first," said Harry," but luckily I got a glimpse of the snitch and realized what you were doing before I committed to my dive."

When they had changed back into their street clothes the four of them apparated back to their condo where Luna and Neville were waiting.

"We finished up the interviews." said Luna. The Secretary thanked us and gave us information about our flight back to London. We leave at nine tomorrow. The man who brought us here will come for us at eight and Fleas will meet us at the airport to take us through security."

"Let's celebrate with one last night out." said Ginny. "If we pack now we can make a late dinner and get a little dancing in before it's too late." Everyone left for their rooms to get ready.

Harry woke at five that morning and realized Ginny was gone. He found her sitting on the balcony watching the sun rise.

"I couldn't sleep." she said, "I've been thinking about the plane crash and all that's happened. I hope this will be the end to it all so we can live our lives together peacefully."

A moment later Ron and Hermione appeared on the balcony next door. When Hermione saw Harry and Ginny she said, "You too? We've spent most of the night talking over the past three weeks and decided to watch the sunrise before we get dressed."

When Luna and Neville came out on their balcony a few minutes later everyone laughed. "I hope we didn't wake you up with our talking." said Ginny.

"No," answered Luna. We've been up for a while and didn't want to wake you lot. Oh, look the sky is all green over the ocean isn't it a beautiful ending for what started as such a sad trip."

As the sun appeared at the horizon, finally the nightmare that began with the plane crash was forgotten and everybody agreed that the last four days were the best vacation they ever had.

At eight the young man from the Department of Magic arrived and when everyone was ready he escorted them to the airport where two Fleas took them past the security area. About ten, almost an hour late the plane took off with six of the most nervous passengers the flight attendants had ever seen.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter XII – There's Nothing Like Seeing Old Friends

The plane landed at Heathrow safely and the six friends were met by Kingsley Shackelbolt.

"I have information you need to see." he told Harry and Ron. "Come to the ministry tomorrow at noon.

Hermione, Ginny, welcome home. Your supervisors are expecting you at training on Monday morning.

Luna, Neville, if you could please come to my office Monday morning at nine I would like Luna to look over the object we believe to be Bellatrix's second Horcrux and possibly examine some other objects if necessary."

Luna looked at Kingsley in a funny way and said, "If my father is feeling better and this month's issue of the Quibbler is ready I will come to your office; but first I have to be sure everything is in order." Then the two of them disapparated leaving the others looking at each other.

"Harry" asked Kingsley, "did you explain things to Luna on the plane ride back."

"Yes," responded Harry, "but you have to remember our priorities aren't Luna's priorities. She hates Bellatrix and will help, but her father and the Quibbler come above everything. When I talked with her and Neville I got the feeling she might say something like this so I talked to Neville alone. He will offer to help Xenophilius with the paper so Luna can come in on Monday as you asked. If Xenophilius is sick however, Luna will stay with her father until she feels he can do without her help. It's the best I was able to get from them. Ginny and Hermione even offered to come and help but Luna knows they really don't believe most of the stuff the Quibbler prints and Luna said no to their help."

"Very well," answered Kingsley, "I will see you two tomorrow at noon."

Kingsley disapparated and after getting their newly purchased American belongings from the baggage pick-up the four of them apparated to Grimmauld Place to find a late meal waiting for them.

"Kreacher" asked Ginny, "how did you know we were coming home tonight.

"Kreacher always knows where Master Harry is." he responded, "How could I serve him properly if I did not know?"

After a fine meal everyone headed off early to bed knowing there was a busy day ahead.

The next morning they all awoke still tired.

"It's Jet Lag," said Hermione. "Our bodies have to adjust to the time difference between Washington and London. We didn't feel it going over because the plane crash had us all pumped up and we were going constantly for almost two days. We'll all feel better tomorrow or the day after."

Over breakfast Harry and Ron discussed what they thought Kingsley was going to show them and about how their new classes starting tomorrow would be. Ginny and Hermione talked separately and seemed to be disagreeing about something. All Harry could hear was that Ginny planned to talk with somebody today and Hermione was trying to convince her it was a bad idea. It reminded Harry of the times in America when Hermione had interrupted Luna and he made a mental note to ask Ginny what this was all about when they were alone.

Just before noon Harry and Ron apparated to the ministry and found Kingsley waiting with a muggle telly box and DVD player on his desk.

"Ron, I had your father set this up for me since he is the only person in the ministry that I thought could do it." said Kingsley. "He got the equipment and had to arrange for electricity to run it. This is why I wanted you here on Sunday. On a normal day if all the ministry workers were here there would be so much magic in the air none of this would work.

The muggle museum where Luna said Bellatrix's second Horcrux was has muggle security and we got this from them. In the last week since I told you about the Horcrux not reacting to being stabbed by the Sword of Gryffindor the ministry has been checking everything we could think of including look alike objects that we want Luna to check; and the possibility that someone got to the Horcrux before we did.

Harry you must be more familiar with muggle devices than I am; start this thing up will you. Arthur said he had it all ready to go."

Harry turned on the telly and started the DVD player. It showed a picture of what was obviously a museum hall at night. The hall was empty and fairly dark but the exhibits were just barely visible. Suddenly two people appeared in the hall out of nowhere; clearly they had apparated in but in the dark hall their faces couldn't be recognized. They moved left and Harry caught sight of an Egyptian statue that looked exactly like what Luna described as Bellatrix's Horcrux. One of them waved a wand and another statue exactly like the first appeared on the floor. The second wizard picked up the real Horcrux and the first wizard replaced it with the copy he had made.

Just then a muggle guard came into the picture holding something in his hand. There was no sound with the picture but Harry could see that the guard spoke to the two wizards and then into the object in his hand. One of the wizards waved a wand and the guard fell to the ground. The wizards seemed to be arguing and then another guard came around a corner. He too was stunned.

The wizards argued more; then one of them preformed spells on both the guards. One of the wizards picked up the real Horcrux and disapparated. The other preformed another spell and disapparated. The two guards woke and began talking to each other then both looked around at the exhibits and walked away.

"Shut it off," said Kingsley," unless you want to see it again. You both realize what it means of course."

"Someone took the real Horcrux." said Harry. "When did this happen? Were the two muggle guards questioned?"

"The muggle guards remember nothing." said Kingsley. "They showed signs of being stunned and having their memories erased. That must be from the spells you saw on the picture. We think the wizards must have been arguing whether to kill the guards and decided if the guards were found dead or just disappeared we would know the Horcrux was taken. They must have decided to wipe the memories and hope we never noticed. Most wizards wouldn't know or think that the muggles might be able to record pictures of what was happening.

As for the time; it was the same night we collected the Horcruxes in the American museum," said Kingsley. "almost to the minute when Jim was killed. We know the American Secretary of Magic's secretary was under an Imperious curse and told the death eaters we knew about the Horcruxes. That's how they were able to get there and attack all of you. They must have contacts over here who were also notified and switched Bellatrix's Horcrux with the fake we found later."

"We need to find out who these two are, if there more death eaters still in Great Britain, and if there are other Horcruxes." said Harry. "If these two know what they were stealing they may have made Horcruxes for themselves without telling Bellatrix. If she didn't know then Luna wouldn't see them in her thoughts but other Horcruxes could still exist."

"Well we got lucky with your first idea at least." said Kingsley. "The muggles were able to brighten up the recording with their electric equipment and get us these pictures of the faces of the two wizards. We just got these late Friday and our Aurors are checking to see if anyone recognizes them. Take a look."

Kingsley slid two nonmoving muggle picture across his desk and both Harry and Ron yelled at the same time, "That Goyle and Nott."

"You know them?" asked Kingsley.

Goyle, Nott, and Crabbe were Slytherins and friends with Draco Malfoy. They helped him with his dirty work while we were all at Hogwarts." said Ron. "Crabb was killed during the battle but I never found out what happened to the other two. As Malfoy backed away from helping Voldemort the others got in closer with the Carrows and learned a lot of nasty spells. Neville could tell you more; he was there all that year."

"I know the Goyles were killed and the Notts are in Azkaban." said Kingsley; "but I don't remember hearing anything about their kids. I'll have the Aurors check and see if the ministry has a record of where they live. In the meantime you two report to your new classes tomorrow and if something comes up I know where to reach you.

"I still think Luna should look over the objects we have just in case." said Harry. Goyle and Nott weren't the smartest and they could have grabbed the wrong object.

When Harry and Ron returned home they picked up Ginny and Hermione and apparated to Jim's parents house to offer their sympathy. Ginny told them of how Jim jumped in front of her pushing her to safety and Jim's mother put her arm around Ginny and started to cry. After an hour the friends offered to help the family in any way that they could, said good-by and apparated back to Grimmauld Place.

That night Harry and Ron filled Ginny and Hermione in on this latest news and they all discussed what they could do to help the ministry.

"I think we just have to let the Aurors do their work." said Hermione finally. "After all you two will have to begin your new classes eight to ten hours almost every day with more homework on top of that and I have my own training schedule for my new position."

Harry sat a second and waited; then said, "Ginny, Hermione didn't mention you. I know you two were arguing about something this morning. What going on?"

Ginny gave Hermione a sort of dirty look and said, "I was going to talk with you later in private but I guess it won't be a secret long so; Harry, I want to try out for a professional Quidditch team. There it is, are you happy Hermione."

Hermione didn't look happy but she didn't say anything.

"Professional Quidditch," yelled Ron. "Are you boggled? Didn't you see how rough the play is at the practice last week? You could get really hurt. Talk to her Harry, tell her no."

Harry held Ginny's hand and said, "I'm not Ginny's master and I can't tell her to do or not to do anything; but I would like to talk it over with you."

Ginny started out with, "I intended to talk to you about it in private as I said but I guess doing it now in front of all of you will save time over having to argue with everyone separately. I've been thinking of it since my fifth year at Hogwarts when we were all on the house team together. I am pretty good Harry, even you admit it. And this doesn't mean I will play, I may not make the team. I just need to know if I am good enough. The practice with the Washington Wizards just brought the idea back to me and I have to know for myself.

I talked with Professor Slughorn today and he sent an owl to Gwenog Jones the captain of the Holyhead Harpies asking her to let me try out. They are practicing for the new season now and if she lets me I want to take one day to do it and if she tells me I'm not good enough that will be the end of it.

I will talk with my supervisor at the ministry and with Kingsley too. I don't want them to think I don't appreciate having the job but I won't be happy if I don't give Quidditch a try."

Harry kissed her and said, "Give it your best try. However, if you make the team I do want to talk more about the dangers of you getting hurt. When is this tryout happening?"

"I don't exactly know," said Ginny, "but soon. The team will be selected in a week or so and I am waiting for Gwenog's owl to let me know if she will give me the chance."

Hermione look looked like she wanted to say something but held her tongue after Ginny gave her another look. They all went off to bed leaving the subject hanging.

Harry and Ron's classes this year would be detecting concealment charms, identifying dangerous charms, and breaking both types without injury to themselves or damage to the surroundings. Monday's first lesson went quickly but a great deal of reading homework was assigned already.

Hermione was working in the magical creature relations office trying to get better conditions for house elves, and Ginny in magical law enforcement.

After work Tuesday Ginny announced an owl from Gwenog Jones had arrived telling her to show up with her broom Thursday morning for a tryout. She had talked with Kingsley and her direct superior and both agreed to give her the day though her superior may have been influenced by the fact that Ginny already had Kingsley's approval note with her when she asked him.

Wednesday went quickly and Thursday morning as they sat at the breakfast table it was hard to tell who was most nervous. Harry kept apologizing for not being able to take time off to watch Ginny's tryout and Ginny kept assuring him she would be less jittery and better off without him watching. She promised to send an owl either way as soon as she knew something and then they all disapparated to their own destinations.

Harry had trouble concentrating all day and kept thinking he was hearing owls pecking at the classroom door. After five he and Ron met Hermione and apparated home together. Ginny sat sipping tea in the kitchen. As Kreacher prepared cups for the others Ginny took a half an hour to relate her story of the tryout. "All in all," she finished," I thought I did fairly well but the keeper did block quite a few of my shots so I don't know. Gwenog said she will send an owl after she and the manager have time to talk things over. The announcement of the team roster is set for Monday so I will hear something before then."

Just then the bell rang and Harry went to the door to find Kingsley waiting on the stoop.

"Come in Minister." he said in the formal tone sensing this was not a pleasure call. Would you like to come to the kitchen or would you rather talk in the drawing room."

"I need to talk with you and Ron in private," he said, "so the drawing room may be better."

Harry called Ron and they took seats across from Kingsley.

"We haven't been able to find a trace of Goyle or Nott." Kingsley said. "Their parents' houses are empty, look like nobody has been there since the Battle of Hogwarts."

"What next?" asked Harry.

I told the head Auror what you told me in my office and someone in the Aurors' office suggested we talk with Draco Malfoy. You said Goyle and Nott were friends with him, maybe he knows something that will help.

"Draco and his parents broke with the death eaters during the battle." Harry said. "I don't think he is with them again."

"Maybe not," said Kingsley, But that doesn't mean he hasn't seen Goyle or Nott around or talked to them lately. We think you two should talk with him at his house; politely, like old friends. It will be less threatening than pulling him into the Auror's office so you may get more from him.

"Like old friends?" said Ron. "He jinxed us dozens of times and tried to kill us both. He may be reformed but he is hardly an old friend."

"Still," said Harry, "We do know him and he may talk with us rather than the Aurors. He may feel the Aurors are still trying to get him on something after all this time. Minister, do you mind if I go and take Ginny with me. She told me about working out a truce with Draco during the year Snape was Headmaster. Ginny, Neville, and Luna were leading the opposition to Snape and the Carrows and Draco came to them to ask for a truce. Because he honored that truce he didn't identify us to Bellatrix the time we were captured. Maybe seeing Ginny will remind him of his promise and get him to help if he can."

What about me?" asked Ron.

"If you come Hermione will want to come too. The fewer of us the better I think." said Harry. "I would ask Ginny to go alone but she told me she was never comfortable being alone with Draco but she would never talk about why. Also since she has even less training than me she might miss something."

"Do what you think is best," said Kingsley, "and let me know what you learn. By the way Luna and Neville came in and Luna went over all the objects we had questions about and found nothing. I guess Goyle and Nott have the Horcrux."

With that he got up and Harry escorted him out. Harry then called Ginny and Hermione and explained what Kingsley wanted.

"When do you plan to see Malfoy?" Ginny asked.

"I will send him an owl right now and ask him for a time that is good for him." answered Harry. "We want him to be comfortable and not think we suspect him of being involved."

After sending off his new owl Merlin, Harry joined the others for dinner then they discussed how he should approach Draco so as to not make him suspicious.

The next day at his noon break Harry found two owls waiting for him. Ginny made the team. She just got word from Gwenog Jones that she was picked as second chaser and a contract would be drawn up with a generous salary. She should look it over and return the signed copy. She couldn't wait for Harry to get home so they could talk about it. Ron did not seem happy when Harry told him.

The second letter was from Draco. He asked Harry to meet him at the family's business in Diagon Alley at five that day. If Harry couldn't make it he should sent another time and date back with Draco's Eagle Owl. Harry sent Draco's owl with an acceptance and Ginny's owl with a message to meet him at the ministry just before five if she could.

Harry told Kingsley then asked for and was granted by his instructor permission to leave class a little early for a meeting that he was ordered to attend by the minister. Ginny was waiting and they apparated together to Diagon Alley in front of the Malfoy's family building.

The door was open but nobody was around. Harry and Ginny entered and Harry called out, "Draco are you here?"

Draco came from a back office and looked Harry and Ginny over.

"I thought you might be uncomfortable coming to Malfoy manor, so come have a seat in my office and welcome." he said, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Harry and Ginny followed him and sat in two large comfortable chairs while Draco went around the desk to his own Dragon Hide executive chair.

Draco started, "My father said he talked with you a few months ago and of course I saw your names in the Daily Prophet recently. Involved in a muggle plane crash wasn't it? I hope you're all safe."

Not sure of how much Draco knew and didn't know Harry answered, "We were asked to fly to America by the Minister of Magic to talk to the Americans and our plane crashed. Thanks to your father we were able to escape before it hit the ground and we are all fine. Next time you see him give him my gratitude; he did save our lives."

"Father said he taught you how to soar; so I guess it came in handy." said Draco. ""I see you and Ginny are together, I heard you got engaged. Ron and Hermione also if my information is correct. Ginny I heard you are going to be a chaser with the Holyhead Harpies. If you need a business manager let me know I will work out a generous contract for you."

Ginny was shocked. "How do you know that, "she asked, "I just heard from Gwenog Jones this morning."

"My business is to know about other people's business." Draco said. "It how my family has always made money."

Harry was anxious to get to the point but Draco seemed to want to make small talk and Harry knew Draco was nervous about why they had come but afraid to find out. If small talk made Draco more comfortable Harry would be patient. "Yes," he said, "we plan to have a double wedding in two years after Ron and I finish our training."

Ginny seemed to sense what Harry wanted and broke it with, "What about you? I heard you were going with Astoria Greengrass. She is very smart, I remember her from classes."

"Yes we're engaged now and will be getting married this spring." said Draco. "I see you keep up with the social news too."

He must have been feeling more sure of himself now because he finally asked the question,"But, I am sure you didn't come on a social call; so exactly why did you ask to see me?"

Now Harry was ready with the plan they came up with last night. "As I mentioned I am in Auror training and my superiors came to me with some information and a request. Goyle and Nott were spotted in some kind of illegal activity and the Aurors want to question them but can't find them. They asked Ron and me and everyone they can find in our year at Hogwarts if we have seen them since the battle or know where they live.

My superiors wanted to question you since you were friends with them. I feel I still owe you for not identifying us to your aunt Bellatrix at Malfoy manor that day we were captured and as I said I owe your father also. I have enough pull to get the ministry to let me talk with you instead of having you brought in for questioning. I know you are not with them anymore and thought I could do you this little favor as a way of saying thanks."

Malfoy looked at Harry for a few seconds trying to decide if Harry was serious about wanting to do him a favor or just being clever. Then he stared at Ginny for a while. He must have thought Harry was serious because he finally said, "I haven't seen or talked to either of them in over a year but I know that both family houses are abandoned.

Goyle doesn't have any family left that I know of but Nott has an uncle that died and I heard that this uncle's house hasn't been sold yet. Nott used to go there on summer vacation when we were in school. It is in the woods somewhere west of Ascot I don't know exactly where but Nott said it is far from other houses and talked about it as a perfect place to hide if he ever needed to. That's all I can think of that might help.

Potter, we're never going to be friends but I sincerely am sorry for the past and want you to know it. Ginny, I apologize to you again for how I treated you and wish you two the best. Tell your brother and Granger I am happy for them too."

"Good luck to you and Astoria." responded Harry and thanks for your help."

Draco led them out of the office and the apparated back to Grimmauld place.

"I'll send an owl to Kingsley and another to the head of the Auror's office." said Harry after finishing telling Hermione and Ron what they got from Draco.

"Tomorrow you better go in early and see Kingsley in person." said Hermione.

"Why?" asked Harry and Ron together.

"Don't you remember," said Hermione, "The place Malfoy described is Swinley Forest where the snatchers caught us. Maybe we were close to Nott's uncle's place and the snatchers were using it as their hide out. Maybe we can give the Aurors a starting point for their search."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter XIII – Reliving Fond Memories

That night Harry and Ginny took time to talk about the dangers of Ginny playing Quidditch. It ended with the promise from Ginny that if she was ever hurt she would resign immediately and that after they were married and ready to start a family she would quit no matter how she was doing with the team.

The next morning they all apparated to the ministry. Hermione left for her training session, Ginny to notify her superior that she would be taking leave to start practice with the Holyhead Harpies. Her first practice was today at nine and she had brought her broom and all her Quidditch pads and equipment with her.

Harry and Ron went to Kingsley's office to tell him about what Hermione had remembered concerning Swinley forest but he was not in and his secretary said she wasn't sure if he would be in at all that day. Harry asked her to tell the Minister that they needed to talk with him as soon as possible about what could be important new information; then they reported to their class.

At the end of the day Kingsley had not contacted them so after meeting Hermione, Harry asked her to come along to Kingsley's office and see if he was there in case he had questions and she remembered anything else about Swinley forest that could help find Goyle and Nott.

His secretary was packing up her things to leave for home and told them Kingsley never came in or sent a message all day and she didn't know if he would be back tomorrow. Harry decided this information was important enough to go directly to the head Auror, Clyde Chitterly, but it turned out he was not in his office either and nobody would give Harry any information as to where he was or when he would be back. Harry decided that he would send another owl directly to Kingsley rather than waiting for him to get back.

After the three of them apparated home they composed a letter explaining what happened to them in Swinley forest and offering to show the Aurors the exact spot and the direction the snatchers had been coming from in order to narrow down the area that had to be searched.

After sending the owl they went to the kitchen to find Ginny sipping tea with several poultices on her arms, legs, and other places.

"What happened?" they all asked together.

"Nothing serious" answered Ginny, "mostly hits from bludgers and one collision with the keeper as I went in to score and she came out to block. They hit the bludgers a lot harder than the kids at Hogwarts but I will be fine for practice tomorrow morning."

Harry opened his mouth but a glaring Mrs. Weasley like look from Ginny stopped him before anything came out. "We talked this over," she said "and we both knew that Quidditch is a tough sport and players get banged up all the time. If I think it is too tough on me I am smart enough to quit."

Then she turned to Ron and Hermione. "Ron, you're my brother but I'm not a little girl anymore so don't you say a word; and Hermione I love you like a sister but I hope you'll remember that you promised not to say anything and I expect your support on this."

Hermione looked furious but just nodded.

Saturday morning Ginny kissed Harry good-by and left for practice with purple bruises showing in several places but that determined look she often got was still on her face. Harry and Ron closed themselves in the drawing room with their books but not before Hermione said she wanted to use the day to visit Luna and Neville, then Mrs. Weasley.

Harry had the idea she was hoping to convince them into having a talk with Ginny about the dangers of Quidditch and found himself wondering why Hermione was so set against Ginny playing after not seeming to mind the years Ginny played at Hogwarts. Yes the pros were faster and tougher but the basic dangers were the same and Ginny had never been hurt. After a while he just made another mental note to talk with Ginny about what she had going on in secret with Hermione, Luna, and Neville.

Sunday found Luna, Neville, and Mrs. Weasley all dropping by for a visit and they all wanted to talk with Ginny privately. Harry secretly hoped they might talk Ginny into dropping this Quidditch idea but also knew they had no chance seeing from the look on her face how she was so determined to go on with it.

That evening before dinner after everyone else had left, Ginny asked Hermione if she had a few minutes to talk privately and Harry knew Ginny had seen through Hermione's plot to recruit help in talking Ginny out of playing. As the girls went upstairs, Harry asked Ron to go down to the kitchen and talk about some homework. He didn't want Ron to hear what was sure to be a loud discussion about Hermione not respecting Ginny's right as an adult to do as she pleased. Surely if Ron heard them arguing he would want to go in and stop them and Harry felt it was important for Ron not to interfere in matters between the girls if they were all to remain friends.

After going up to the top floor Ginny closed the door, placed a Muffliato charm on the room so the boys wouldn't hear, then rounded on Hermione and said forcefully, "This is it Hermione! I know you and Luna, Neville, and my mother think my playing Quidditch is a bad idea; but I've reached my limit. I am an adult and I don't need any of you to tell me how to live my life or what I should and shouldn't do. I know the dangers of playing Quidditch and I am willing to take my chances."

Hermione turned purple but kept her voice calm as she said, "It's not just the danger to you we are worried about. In case you've forgotten you're two and a half months pregnant with what will be my nephew once Ron and I are married. Your mother is worried about you but also about her grandson. Neither Luna nor Neville, like me have any siblings. They are so close to us they feel like they will be an aunt and uncle to the baby also. We have a right to worry."

Ginny paused a second, took a deep breath responded with the same calmness now in her voice that Hermione had, "I have been two and a half months pregnant for more than two years now Hermione, it's hard to forget that. The spell Dumbledore and Snape found before they were killed has kept the baby in suspended animation without a problem all this time. I talked with Madam Pomfrey who has been checking on my condition all these years and then I went to St. Mungo's and consulted the best healers there about the safety of the baby. They all told me they don't believe the baby will be in any danger. Healthy women two to three months pregnant do all kinds of activities without hurting the baby."

"Even so," said Hermione, "I think you should tell Harry you're pregnant. He might feel differently about your playing if he knew; and I think he has the right to know."

"You and my mother agreed with me it was best to keep my pregnancy a secret from Harry until we are married. You know if he finds out he will want to get married immediately and bring the baby out of stasis. Even though Voldemort is no longer a threat Harry has enough on his mind with all his Auror training and now this business with Bellatrix and the Horcruxes. Knowing about the baby will distract him and he will act differently with his training and treat me differently to.

Don't forget if Harry and I get married and start a family Ron will also want you two to get married right away. The boys know that both my parents and Harry's parents got married in their teens and started families young. And there is nothing wrong about that if that's what you want and are ready to do it. But I want to know if I have what it takes to play Quidditch and I know you aren't ready to leave work and start having children without getting something done to help house elves first. This is why we agreed to continue to keep my condition quiet after Voldemort's death; or am I wrong about how you feel."

Hermione knew what Ginny said was true and after staring at her for over a minute finally said, "Alright, I will stop trying to get you to quit Quidditch on one condition. The first time you get a serious injury you quit on your own. Agreed?"

"Harry and I already agreed to that when we talked, so fine." answered Ginny. "Let's drop the subject. You didn't tell Ron I'm pregnant, did you?"

"For heaven's sake no!" said Hermione. "You didn't hear him screaming and carrying on; did you? You and I both know that's what he would be like if he found out that you got pregnant when you were fifteen and still in school. Let's go down to eat and pretend this all never happened or both the boys will want to ask too many questions for comfort."

The weekend was over and as Harry got ready to go to class on Monday morning he read the sports section of the Daily Prophet which carried an article with the roster for the Holyhead Harpies. Ginny had an entire section in the article going over her play at Hogwarts and calling her the most promising rookie in years.

No word had come from Kingsley and neither of Harry's owls had yet returned which made Harry think Kingsley might be out of the country, perhaps back to the states again. Harry asked Ron his opinion about going to Kingsley's office again but Ron thought it wouldn't help. "If he's away he will get the message eventually and get back to us." Ron said. "Maybe we should try and see the head Auror again to tell him what we know."

"Good idea," said Harry, "Kingsley said he would have them looking into it and he probably knows as much as Kingsley would anyway. Let's go to his office at our first break."

At mid morning Harry and Ron went down the hall from their class room to discover head Auror Chitterly still wasn't in either. Again nobody would tell them where he was, only that they would give him the message that Harry Potter wanted to see him as soon as possible.

The week moved on with no response from Kingsley or Chitterly. Finally on Thursday morning a memo floated into the classroom and landed on Harry's desk instead of the instructor's. The instructor didn't look happy about a student getting a memo during class; not even if that student was Harry Potter but since the color of the memo showed it was from the Minister of Magic himself the instructor said nothing.

As they broke class for lunch Harry approached the instructor and showing the memo saying, "The minister wants to see Ron and me during our break. I don't know how long it will take. Is there anything we need to know in case we are late getting back? After getting the homework assignment Harry and Ron went up to the minister's office where his secretary took them directly into Kingsley's office.

There was a meal laid out on a small table and Kingsley held up a hand and pointed to it while he continued writing something. As Harry and Ron sat down Kingsley tore off the paper he had been writing and said to his secretary, "Get this off immediately." Then he joined Harry and Ron at the table.

"I've been all over Europe in the last six days and just got back this morning. I have been updating the magical ministers in every country about the six missing death eaters and gathering any information they could give me about dark activity in their country. We need new leads and I hope what I brought back may give our Aurors a few clues. My secretary told me you have been trying to see me since Friday; what is so important."

"Didn't you get my owls." asked Harry, "I sent one on Friday and another after we found you weren't in your office."

"I haven't been in the same place for more than a few hours at a time since Friday. Your owls have probably been chasing me all over Europe. They will catch up with me eventually, but now tell me what you want."

Harry went over the story of the snatchers in Swinley forest and Hermione's idea that they may have been using Nott's uncle's house as headquarters. "Maybe we can give the Aurors a starting point for their search." he finished.

"The note I gave my secretary was to the head Auror asking him to come in and update me. I haven't eaten anything since last night," said Kingsley, "so let's eat while we wait and see what he has to say and what he thinks of your idea."

Before they had finished there was a knock at the door and the head Auror walked in. "You wanted to see me minister?" he asked looking at the food on the table. "I've been in Swinley forest for the last four days leading a team looking for the Nott house."

"Join us Clyde," said Kingsley,"and have a bite to eat while we hear your report.

It turned out no trace of the Nott house had been discovered and Chitterly was extremely interested in any clue as to its location.

Kingsley sent a memo to Hermione's supervisor asking to send her to his office and that she wouldn't be back today, then one to Ron and Harry's instructor that they would not be returning to class today, and Harry sent an owl home to let Ginny know where they were going and that they may be late getting home.

When Hermione arrived they left for Swinley forest with Chitterly. Kingsley could not go since he had a lot of work to catch up on but gave orders to let him know if they found anything.

It took a while but Hermione found the place where they were camped when the snatchers caught them. There was some disagreement at to which direction the snatchers had come from and finally Chitterly said, "This will be the center of our search circle. He ordered his people to go one mile in each direction looking for concealment charms that might be hiding the house. Also to watch for signs of anyone having been in the area. "Although the death eaters and snatchers probably apparate in and out, if they are still using the house, they may have left marks from walking around near by. Maybe footprints, broken branches on trees or shrubs, and areas of flattened grass will still be visible."

His people worked in pairs but he asked if Harry and Ron wanted to go along and get some field training since they were missing class that day. Both jumped at the chance with Harry choosing to head west toward Savemake Park with one pair of Aurors and Ron wanting to go east toward South Ascot with another pair. When Hermione asked if she could also go with a pair of Aurors Chitterly hesitated.

"You don't have any training and this isn't exactly a safe job." he said.

"Neither was chasing all over Great Britain looking for Horcruxes or fighting Voldemort and his death eaters at the battle of Hogwarts." answered Hermione. "But I got through both of those jobs." she added.

She was happy to see how Chitterly still flinched when she called Voldemort by name and after a few seconds he said, "You can go with the pair heading south toward the muggle golf course called the Berkshire at the edge of Swinley forest." he said.

"Remember" he said before they all started out, "our information is not that specific but we were told the house is not close to any others so it's not necessary to go into any muggle areas. Swinley forest isn't that large so if we find nothing today, tomorrow we will look in Queen's Wood, or Pascal wood, or some other nearby wood. Let's say a quarter of a mile from another building is our limit. The death eaters wouldn't want to be any closer to someone than that or they might be heard."

"Sir," said Harry, "when we were hiding we used a muffliato charm to keep from being heard. People were within a hundred feet and couldn't hear us."

Chitterly thought it over and said, "All right, let's make it a hundred yards of another house. You weren't staying in the same place constantly and the longer you're in one place the more likely you are to be over heard. A hundred yards is as close as I would want to be even using muffliato."

Hours passed and it was beginning to get dark. Harry, Ron and the teams they were with had returned as had the team to the north; but not Hermione and the southern team. Ron and Harry were beginning to worry.

"Spread out one hundred feet apart and work our way south before it is totally dark." said Chitterly. "Let's see if we can find them before it becomes too dark to see anything."

They hadn't gone more than a few hundred yards when one of the Aurors that was with Hermione appeared through the trees. "We found something." He said. A house protected by a disillusionment charm about two hundred yards from the muggle golf course. We watched it for a while and decided I should come get you while the others kept watch from a distance. It will be hard to find them again in the dark so we set up a signal. When we get to the golf course I will make a dim light like a Hinkypunk bobbing up and down. When they see it one of them will make the same sign to guide us to them. The signals are so dim anyone in the house shouldn't notice unless they are keeping a close watch."

In the dark it took over an hour but finally they were all together just south of the house. Chitterly pointed out to Harry and Ron the telltale signs of the disillusionment charm and the Aurors detected a Caterwauling charm surrounding the house and they eliminated it then worked out a plan to approach the house and capture anyone inside.

They formed a ring around the house and closed silently in to a hundred feet on all sides. Then everyone stopped except two Aurors to the north who crept in under their own disillusionment charms. Although Harry couldn't see them he knew they would look inside for activity before signaling the others. They would then wait till it started to get light; trying to chase a fleeing death eater in the darkness of the forest night would have been impossible.

As the sky got brighter the two Aurors near the house began to move into the house and suddenly fireworks went off to the north, not magical, just plain muggle fireworks. At first Harry thought perhaps they were meant to frighten muggles who approached accidentally; he then realized they would not be detected by the Aurors looking for magical spells and traps so they served as a backup alarm system. When he became a full fledged Auror he would have to remember in situations like this to check not only for magical traps but also muggle traps.

While Harry was distracted by the fireworks, the door to the house flew open and five people came running out to the south. Stunning spells dropped them as they ran with Ron hitting what turned out to be Goyle as he tried to get past. It was over in less than a minute. Three Aurors went in to search the house for other death eaters while the rest rounded up and bound the five who had been stunned.

Then a sixth death eater appeared soaring from an upper story window. Harry yelled, "Ron, same tactic as in Washington." Harry turned to smoke and soared after the death eater firing spells while weaving and bobbing to avoid the spells the death eater was firing back. Ron soared off to the side and being ignored by the death eater who concentrated on Harry; Ron was able to approach from high on one side and stun the death eater before he knew there was a second person after him.

As the death eater fell Ron levitated him and Harry grabbed an arm and lowered him to the ground. They had discussed how they caught Bellatrix several times in the past two weeks and refined how they would go about it if the situation arose again. It worked and they returned the sixth death eater to where the Aurors were waiting.

The missing Horcrux was not found but Chitterly said they would do a more thorough search when another team arrived. The six now conscious suspects were taken back to the ministry for questioning and Luna would be asked to attend. Chitterly thanked Hermione, Harry, and Ron for their help and assured them he would let them know about anything they discovered. He also wanted to meet with Ron and Harry to discuss the soaring capture tactic that he had never seen before. "Perhaps you two will be teaching the other Aurors soon instead of sitting in a class." he said.

It was almost seven in the morning when the three of them apparated back to Grimmauld place. Kreacher made breakfast for them as they discussed the evening's work and speculated on what the Aurors would learn. Ginny who came home exhausted every day was still sleeping and they agreed to fill her in later rather than wake her.

After eating and cleaning up the three of them apparated to the ministry and Harry and Ron made a quick stop at the minister's office but he wasn't in and they hurried to class. At noon break Kingsley walked in and told them Luna had come in and questioning was underway. There might be some news by the end of the day and they should stop in his office before going home.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter XIV – Into the Future Darkly

After five when class was dismissed Harry and Ron waited near the elevators for Hermione to come from her office and the three of them went up to see Kingsley together. His secretary was already gone for the day but his door was open and he was at his desk looking over several folders full of documents.

"Have a seat." he said, "These are the reports on the first five people you captured yesterday. Luna sat in and it went fairly quickly. All five of them are less than twenty years old and seem to be pretty clueless. It turns out they were all recruited after the battle of Hogwarts by various death eaters all of whom are now dead or captured. These five just did menial tasks without being informed of any important information or about Horcruxes. Nott and Goyle didn't even know what they were stealing from the museum; they were told it was an ancient statue that had hidden spells engraved on it."

As Kingsley pushed the folders across the desk for the three of them to read for themselves, Harry asked, "What about the sixth person. He soared so he must be farther up on the death eater hierarchy chart if he knew how to do that."

"We saved him for tomorrow." answered Kingsley. "Luna can only be in one interrogation at a time and Clyde felt the younger kids would go quickly and he could get his men freed up to pursue other clues. Also any information they let slip helps Clyde plan for the interrogation of the sixth person. This older one, his name is Stephan Dragovitch by the way, was well known to the Aurors. He's Romanian and as a young man was associated with Grindelwald when he was in power. After Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, Dragovitch spent some time in prison but since he was only in his twenties and not high up in Grindelwald's organization he was eventually released. He has been back and forth between Great Britain and the continent over the years under suspicious circumstances but the Aurors could never pin a specific crime on him so they couldn't arrest him.

Clyde thinks Dragovitch is going to be a tougher nut to crack and it will take even longer to be sure we got all we could from him. Clyde wasn't sure how long Luna would stay today and didn't want to start on him if they couldn't finish. Once he knows what we are asking about it would give him a chance to go back to his cell overnight and make plans about what to say and what to avoid. That could just make things harder. Luna said her father is feeling better and she is free all day tomorrow so we will start on Dragovitch at seven in the morning so we can work on him all day if necessary.

"What about Bellatrix's Horcrux?" asked Hermione. "Chitterly said he would have another group of Aurors search the Nott house for it."

"I was getting to the bad news." said Kingsley. "All five of the interrogations today had only one important detail in common, an older foreign person whose name is unknown to the five youngsters came to the house and took the statue with him. The Horcrux is gone. The search of the house confirmed it is not there. We hope to get the name of this other foreigner from Dragovitch tomorrow. It could be the only clue we have left to follow."

"If we don't get this name," Harry said, "it means Bellatrix can come back again. As long as her Horcrux remains intact she can return and she can make another Horcrux if she wants once her body is restored. All of what we did will be wasted."

"Let's wait for the interrogation of Dragovitch before we panic." said Kingsley. Maybe we will get a name or even some other clue we can follow. In the mean time think of all the death eaters you three, Ginny, Neville, and especially Luna have eliminated in the last few weeks. Including the Americans and these five kids from last night that's over three dozen dark wizards off the streets. That's not wasted time; it's more than most Aurors do in a year.

Yes, if Bellatrix returns it will be a blow to our efforts, but why did you two want to become Aurors? Because you thought there would be no more dark wizards after Voldemort was destroyed, or was it because you knew there will always be more dark wizards? If you get discouraged because you caught three dozen but one got away you won't last long as an Auror. Aurors keep moving along; they know the one that got away today is the one we catch tomorrow, and the one that gets away tomorrow is the one we catch the next day. So go home and tomorrow at this time we may be making a start on some new clue."

After being up all last night the three of them were exhausted by the time they got back to Grimmauld Place. Ginny was her usual tired self after another long practice; so, a quick meal and early to bed was the prescription for everyone. The next morning they told Ginny what they had learned over the past two days and discussed the possibility of Bellatrix returning. They agreed that what ever else they did finding and eliminating Bellatrix would always be their top priority.

Before everyone left, Ginny reminded them that Harry's birthday was this week and she told them her parents had invited them all to have the party at the Burrow on Saturday; the whole family was going to be there. Then Ginny left for practice and the others for the ministry agreeing to meet at five and see what Luna and the interrogators had got from Dragovitch.

Five o'clock found Harry and Ron at the elevators again waiting for Hermione. When the got to Kingsley's office he was out but the secretary said he left a message that he would be right back and for them to wait. The secretary packed her things and left them sitting in the outer office. Less than five minutes later Kingsley arrived breathing hard and he took them into his office.

"I ran down to interrogation" he said, "to get the latest information and Clyde was still in with Luna and Dragovitch so I had to wait a few minutes before he came out. The other Aurors are continuing the interrogation but here's what we got so far. Luna learned Bellatrix and her friends were in Romania before they

went to America and they gathered a group of dark wizards there. They were planning to organize in several countries since they know cooperation between the magical communities in various countries is not the best. They hoped that if a cell in one country was discovered by the law enforcement people there, they would have a safe refuge in a neighboring country ready made.

He knew Bellatrix had been in Slovakia, and Bulgaria but didn't know what progress she made in gathering followers there. He didn't mention any other countries but Clyde is going to contact every country that will talk to us and alert them what to look for. We also got more than a dozen names of dark wizards Dragovitch has been in contact with all over eastern Europe. Our researchers have been following up the names he gave us and they are all former Drumstrang student as one might suspect. Several of the older ones were also former Grindelwald followers which is how Dragovitch originally knew them.

So far we haven't discovered who it was that picked up the Horcrux but they will continue to question him as long as Luna can go on. She seemed tired when I looked in and I think she will have to break for the day soon. We hoped to finish up with him in one session but Luna has been at it ten hours now and can't go much longer without rest.

That's all the news I have right now but remember what I said yesterday, don't lose hope; today we got a lot of clues for our people to follow and we will probably have more by this time tomorrow. Go home and keep up your studies, let the Aurors do their work and we will keep you updated if we find anything else. If we need your help I will ask but the most important thing you all can do is your lessons. It's important you do not get so tied up with this that you aren't preparing yourselves for the time when you will be in charge and have to make the decisions about what clues to follow.

The next day Kingsley told them a few more names had come up and the Aurors felt they had all they were going to get from Dragovitch. As far as Bellatrix's Horcrux, Dragovitch only knew that a foreign wizard with the code

name "Dagger" would come for it. Dragovitch had a description of "Dagger' including a tattoo of a dagger on the left side of his neck. When this person showed up one night Dragovitch gave him the Horcrux and "Dagger" left. Dragovitch thought "Dagger" had an eastern European accent but doesn't know anything else about him. Now it was the tedious work of following the clues to their end.

Days went by with little to report. Harry's nineteenth birthday passed and it was nice to see all the Weasleys including Bill and Fleur's new baby Victoire and Andromeda Tonks who brought Harry's godson Teddy Lupin. Then Ginny's eighteenth birthday party was held in mid August again at the Burrow and now it was September. Hermione's birthday was approaching on the nineteenth along with Ginny's first Quidditch match the following Friday night.

Harry and Ron received notes from Kingsley from time to time with the latest updates. A few of the names on Dragovitch's list were caught by the law personal in various countries and Clyde Chitterly was arranging to have them brought to London to be interrogated with Luna present. Two others had been killed when they refused to surrender and tried to fight it out with the authorities. However, no word on Bellatrix's Horcrux was included nor anything on the person who picked it up at the Nott house.

Hermione's twentieth birthday party was at her parent's house and Molly and Arthur came but the rest of the family was tied up since it was a Tuesday evening. Ginny got tickets for everyone to her first match which would be in Manchester and they all promised to be there.

Everyone met at the main gate to the Manchester Quidditch pitch and sat

together. George had pins made up with Ginny's name for everyone to wear and extras to pass out to the crowd. Hermione and Luna had a banner reading "Go Ginny" that they hung from the hand rail. The match ran over two hours and Ginny scored nine of the nineteen goals for the Harpies before their seeker caught the snitch. The Harpies won 340 to 120 but Ginny was so tired the celebration they all planed was put off until the next day.

The fall grew colder and turned to winter. Harry and Ron continued to work on their studies for class. Hermione finished training and was assisting in the writing of a new law, backed by Kingsley, governing the treatment of house elves and other magical creatures. She said it would take months to get the wording acceptable to everyone and maybe years before it passed but at least it was progress. The Harpies won four more matches in a row with Ginny being the leading scorer in every one. The only bad news was there was little progress on Bellatrix's Horcrux.

As Christmas approached the four friends often discussed what they could do if the Aurors didn't find something soon. Having no new clues they got so desperate as to start talking about going to Romania over Christmas break to search for the people on Dragovitch's list. But Ginny had a match on new year's day and since none of them spoke Romanian it would be hard to discover anything new so that idea died.

The week before Christmas a memo from Kingsley floated onto Harry's desk asking him and Ron to stop at Kingsley's office before going home. After meeting Hermione they went up and found Kingsley waiting with a smile. "We're pretty sure we got "Dagger's" name. Authorities in Bulgaria raided a house based on clues from the names Dragovitch gave us and one of the people they caught confessed to knowing a man with a dagger tattoo. He gave us a name, Vaslav Krum.

At the name Krum all three of them gasped. "Is he related to Viktor Krum the Bulgarian Quidditch player." asked Hermione.

I don't know." said Kingsley, "None of this is verified yet and Clyde is trying to get the suspect here so Luna can sit in and confirm it. In the mean time we have people searching for anything we can find on Vaslav Krum. Why do you ask about the Quidditch player?"

"Victor Krum was the Drumstrang champion in the tri-wizard tournament a few years ago. He competed against Harry and we all got to know him." said Hermione.

"You went to the Yule ball and dated him most of the year he was at Hogwarts." said Ron with an edge in his voice. "Are you still writing to him?"

"We sent each other Christmas and birthday cards for the last two years." answered Hermione, rolling her eyes. "I can send an owl and ask about Vaslav if you think it's a good idea." she added looking at Kingsley.

Kingsley considered this for a minute then said, "Let's wait till we see what the Aurors find. If they are related we don't want to alert Vaslav that we're on to him."

"I don't think Viktor is involved in anything dark." chimed in Harry. "I got to know him during the tournament. His grandfather was killed by Grindelwald and Victor told me several times when we talked that he was against the dark arts because of that. He also told me he wasn't happy with the way things were run at Drumstrang."

"Still," said Kingsley, "I think it's best to wait for the Auror's report. "It will only be a day or two then we can decide what to do about Viktor Krum. If I get

any information from the Aurors I will send you another memo."

"Send it to Ron." said Harry. "Our instructor has been glaring at me for getting so many memos from you during class. I'd like to lay low for a while if you don't mind."

Two days before Christmas, when Hermione came up in the elevator to meet Harry and Ron; Harry was about to tell her there was nothing from Kingsley again when he saw her holding a bright orange memo. "Kingsley wants to see us." she said. "Now that my training is over and I get memos all the time I guess he thought he would give both of you a break from aggravating your instructors by getting memos in class.

Kingsley was waiting for them and slid the latest report over the desk toward them saying, "Our Aurors have checked out Vaslav Krum as best they could. He is Viktor Krum's uncle but he has been shunned by the rest of the family since he went over to Grindelwald's side years ago even after Grindelwald killed his father. Information tells us Viktor's parents haven't seen or talked to Vaslav in more than forty years. Nobody in authority in Bulgaria has seen him for the last two years though he comes up in rumors from sources as having been involved with Voldemort before he disappeared. We have all our people and the Bulgarians looking for anything on him."

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Hermione. "Shall I write and ask Viktor if he knows anything?"

"If it will make you feel better," answered Kingsley, "go ahead but I don't thing you will learn anything we don't already know."

When they got back to Grimmauld Place they found Ginny in the kitchen drinking tea and waiting. "About time you three got home." she said. "An owl arrived for Hermione earlier and Kreacher brought the letter down from the owlery in the attic when he went up to take care of the owls. It's from Viktor."

When they had first moved into Grimmauld Place Harry and Ron with help from Mr. Weasley fixed up the owlery in the attic that the Black family had let fall into ruins. It allowed up to six owls at a time to nest overnight and go out to hunt on their own while blocking out the rain and cold. It was now the home for Harry's new great horned owl Merlin, Ron's tiny Scops owl Pigwidgeon, Hermione's screech owl she named Dobby after the house elf that saved their lives, and Ginny's barred owl Elvira. Kreacher turned out to be rather fond of the owls and saw that they had food and fresh water every day. Today Viktor's owl was most likely also there resting from its long flight waiting for a response to his letter.

Hermione tore the letter open and read aloud,

"Dear Hermione."

She stopped while Ron bristled and grumbled then she continued,

"British officials came to my house and the house of my

parents asking questions to do with my uncle Vaslav. You told me in your last letter that Harry and Ron were now in your ministry's Auror's office. Do they or you know what this is concerning.

My family has disowned years ago my uncle because of his support for Grindelwald and my parents are worried they are suspected of something dark because we are his family.

If there is anything you can tell me that will easy my parent's

worry please tell me. I am not wanting to see them bothered for a thing

they do not know about.

Your friend

Viktor"

"What shall I tell him? Hermione asked. "I can't say we caused this problem for his family by telling the ministry of the possible connection between him and Vaslav."

"We didn't cause it." said Harry. "The ministry or the authorities over there would have made the connection during the investigation. I say we use his letter as a way into Bulgaria. Write and tell him we want to help and are coming for a visit over the holidays. We talked about it before; let's do it."

"I can't," said Ginny "we have a match on New Year's eve."

Harry looked at Ginny and said, "I'll stay here with you, and Hermione and Ron can go to Bulgaria to talk with Viktor and his parents." Turning to Ron who didn't seem pleased about going with Hermione to see Viktor, Harry added, "Reassure them they are not under suspicion and at the same time get any information they can give you about Vaslav; likes, dislikes, habits, favorite places, anything we can use to find him."

Hermione didn't hesitate and said, "I'll send his owl back saying we will arrive two days after Christmas. That will let us celebrate with our families and give him time to make arrangements for seeing us in case his schedule is busy. I think rather than flying muggle planes we should apparate in steps through France, Italy, Albania, and into Bulgaria. It will take about the same time but it will be impossible for anyone to follow us or attack us like Bellatrix did."

Christmas passed pleasantly with friends and family and the morning after boxing day Ron and Hermione said good-by early in the morning and disapparated while holding hands with only one small trunk and an enchanted Galleon each.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter XV – The One that Gets Away Today is the One We Catch Tomorrow

Limited to about five hundred miles at a time, Ron and Hermione apparated from London to Paris, to Geneva, to Florence, to Naples, to Tirana, to Sofia where they were met by Viktor at the Sheraton Sofia Hotel as Hermione requested in the letter she wrote. After lifting Hermione from the floor with a giant hug Viktor turned to Ron and offered his hand. As Ron reluctantly shook hands Viktor said, "Hermy- own-ninny wrote last year and told me you are now engaged. Congratulations; you are a lucky man to get such a fine voman. I too am also now engaged to a girl from my home town that I have known since I was five. We will be married in June and I would like to invite both of you and Harry Potter also to the wedding. Fleur and her husband Villiam already promised to come with their baby Victoire.

You will come now and stay at my house in Sozopol on the Black Sea. It is cold now but for the wedding it will be warm and we can swim, and sail on my boat, and relax and you can get to know my fiancé and she will get to know what good friends I have made in your country. She is at her parent's house now with her family for the holidays but will return later this week"

Both Ron and Hermione tried to decline saying they planned to stay at this hotel but Viktor insisted and they finally apparated together holding hands to Viktor's House which looked more like a mansion to Ron. The large house sat on a multi acre estate with woods providing privacy from neighbors and a view overlooking the Black Sea where Viktor's fifty foot yacht was anchored.

"Since I saw you last I have been very fortunate to invest my salary from the Quidditch team in businesses that have made me much money." he said. "Many women have said they love me since; but my fiancé, she told me she loved me when we were still at Durmstrang together; before the Triwizard Tournament even. I was not wise enough to know how good a person she was then but now we will be happy together."

It was late in the day and Viktor asked if they would like a drink while dinner was being prepared. As they sat and sipped their drinks Hermione broached the subject they came to investigate knowing she had to avoid mentioning Horcruxes to Viktor.

"When we got you letter I knew we had to come and talk to you personally." she said. "You remember what it was like in our country when you were there and how Bill and Fleur's wedding was disrupted by the death eater's attack. During this past summer we were again attacked by one of these death eaters. We have been chasing her since then and your uncle Vaslav was known to have been in Great Britain over the summer and contacted this death eater. They have both disappeared and our people are trying to find your uncle in an attempt to find her.

We know you and your parents are not involved but you may know something about your uncle that could help us. Is there any place he liked and may visit or go to hide? Does he have any friends you know of that he may go to for help? Does he have any habits that we can use to trace him? I know you were not even born when your parents rejected him but you may have heard stories about him or your parents may remember something. Please help us if you can before she has a chance to attack us again."

Viktor look at them for a few seconds then said, "I will take you tomorrow to see my parents and my father's older sister who will know such things as you asked, if anyone does. For now let us eat and you can rest before we start tomorrow. I have a Quidditch match on New Year's Eve but we can do much by then.

After a fine dinner Viktor showed Ron and Hermione to the guest bedroom which was more than twice the size of their room at Grimmauld Place with a private bathroom that included a large tub seating at least five people that was already filled with hot water. "Looks like Viktor has done well for himself, I never saw a bath tub that big." said Ron. "I wonder if Ginny makes as much playing on the Holy Head Harpies."

"She showed me her contract and she makes five times more than you and I combined; "answered Hermione, "By the way that's not a bath tub, the bath is over there. This is a hot tub. You don't put soap in it you just sit and relax. If you are sore or tired there are water jets that massage your muscles. Want to try it or are you tired from the trip."

"I'm tired," said Ron, "but I may never get another chance to do this so how does it work?"

"Get your clothes off and just sit in the tub while I get towels from the linen closet. It took Hermione less than a minute to get two soft towels and two white fluffy robes she found in the closet but by the time she returned Ron was reclining in the tub with his arms stretched across the edge of the tub. She slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the tub and sat next to Ron.

After taking a quick look at the controls she turned on the jets, the underwater lights, and the bubbler. As the water churned Ron sighed, "We have to get one of these for our house when we get married."

"With your salary as a junior Auror and mine as a junior level clerk it will be some years before we can afford a house much less the cost to put one of these in it." responded Hermione."Maybe you can tell Harry about it and he'll put one in for him and Ginny." she added. "Then we can invite ourselves over on weekends."

"You're crazy if you think I'm going to sit naked in the same tub with my sister and my best friend!" cried Ron.

Hermione burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. When she finally stopped she said, "Ron you are so funny. When you have company everyone wears bathing suits into the tub. Although I did hear my parents talking one time about what our neighbors wanted to do when my parents and some other guests were invited over to their hot tub one night."

Ron asked, "What?" Hermione leaned over and whispered in his ear and Ron turned red and sputtered, "No!"

Hermione nodded and slid over on Ron's lap giving him a kiss. "That's why I love you," she said "you are so innocent as to what some people do; and I feel just like you do about those things." They sat and cuddled until the jets automatically shut off then Ron stood up with Hermione in his arms and carried her over to the bed.

The next morning a knock on the door woke them at seven. Viktor's voice called, "When you are ready come have some breakfast and I will tell you what arrangements I have made last night."

Fifteen minutes later they were sipping coffee as Viktor explained how he had contacted his father and arranged to have his aunt come to his parent's house to meet with them. Just before nine they apparated to Viktor's parent's house in Zlatograd near the border of Greece, the small town in the forested mountains where Viktor had grown up. After introductions Viktor explained the situation to his parents and aunt. Then he told Ron and Hermione, "My parents speak only little English and my aunt none so I will talk for you to them."

Hermione told Viktor to translate what she had told him last night which took several minutes. Viktor's aunt spoke to Viktor with what seemed to be a disturbed tone and then to Viktor's father who argued back. Finally she spoke to Viktor again. "My aunt felt you are accusing her of being involved with her brother's crimes but my father has explained to her that you do not blame her as you said to me yesterday. She and my father will tell you everything they remember."

With Viktor's help Ron and Hermione heard the story of how Viktor's grandfather had opposed Grindelwald and had been killed when Viktor's father was only fourteen. Viktor's aunt was seventeen and his uncle Vaslav only twelve at that time. Vaslav was always angry even before his father's death but he blamed not Grindelwald, but muggles for suppressing the magical community.

When he reached seventeen he joined Grindelwald arguing with his family the their father had been wrong and deserved to die for opposing what Grindelwald was trying to do; bring witches and wizards to their rightful place as rulers over muggles. Shortly after this Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald. Vaslav went to prison for a few years but was released early as only a minor conspirator but the family never forgave him. The story sounded so much like that of Sirius in reverse it made Hermione wonder how many other families had been torn apart by Grindelwald and Voldemort.

Finally when the story was over Viktor asked about Vaslav's friends and places he might hide. After several minutes of back and forth between his father and aunt, Viktor turned to Ron and Hermione. "They cannot remember any of my uncle's friends after he left the family and his friends as a boy are all here in Zlatograd. It is a small town and my aunt knows everyone; she would hear if anyone had talked with my uncle.

The look of disappointment on Ron and Hermione's faces must have been obvious because Viktor's aunt spoke again; then his father added something. Viktor listened then he spoke again. "My aunt said she remembers my grandfather taking my father and uncle as boys on fishing trips every summer before the war with Grindelwald forced him to stop. My uncle would talk about these trips and it seemed to be the only thing that made him happy.

She did not know where they went but my father remembered it was along a river and they would stop in a town called Kardzali to get bait and if they needed supplies. Kardzali is about 50 kilometers north east of here but there are miles of shoreline in that area and my father remembers nothing else since he was only ten when they went for the last time."

"It's something we can pass to your authorities." said Ron. "We personally can't search an area that large but they can put their people around there and maybe find more clues.

I'm beginning to understand what Kingsley and our instructors have been trying to tell us. When Voldemort was coming after Harry we had a restricted war to fight and we could be effective. When we went looking for Horcruxes we had a larger area in which to look and we got frustrated because it was taking the three of us so long to find anything. Eventually we found the Horcruxes only because we got lucky. Now we have the entire world to search for Bellatrix and her Horcrux and the four of us aren't going to be able to do it alone. They have been trying to teach us patience and allow our allies time to do their jobs, eventually clues are found but this may take years like Dumbledore took years gathering the information that let us get Voldemort.

Thank your aunt and parents for us I guess we have as much information as we are going to get. We have to return to London and let our people know what we learned so they can relay it to your officials."

"You cannot go so soon," said Viktor, "we have had no time to visit."

"We're sorry," said Hermione, "we would love to stay but Ron is right the sooner we tell our people and a search for your uncle begins the more likely they are to find him. It is too late to start today but we must go tomorrow morning."

Viktor's parents insisted they stay and eat before returning to Viktor's house. About one o'clock they apparated back to Viktor's house near Sozopol.

"I understand you must go," said Viktor, "but I am sorry you could not meet my fiancé or see me play in my match on New Year's Eve. You will come back for the wedding this summer, yes."

"We wouldn't miss it," answered Ron who was finally beginning to like Viktor as a person, "and you will come to our wedding the following summer. We are planning a double ceremony with Harry and my sister."

"That would make me very happy." Viktor said. "Now we can sit and talk about what we have been doing for the last two years before you must pack you things."

For more than an hour Ron and Hermione related the story of their year in hiding and the final defeat of Voldemort without mentioning Horcruxes. Viktor had his people bring out snacks and drinks and told of his travels and matches played with the Quidditch team. Ron seemed to know quite a bit about Viktor's career and Hermione suspected he had been secretly following it. Then Hermione told of the events in America last summer and it was late in the afternoon by the time they finished their stories.

"Dinner will be at seven," said Viktor, "so you can get to sleep early and be rested for your trip home." As he said this a crash was heard from the kitchen.

Viktor just turned but Ron and Hermione pulled their wand from instinct. "I will see what happened." said Viktor as he stood up. Ron grabbed him by the arm and said, "Wait! Our recent adventures have made us overly suspicious. Before you go in the kitchen call you cook through the door first."

Viktor looked at them and then called out in Bulgarian. There was no answer. He called again and started toward the door. "Perhaps there was an accident and someone is hurt." he said.

This time Hermione stopped him. "You have three people working for you," she said. "They can't all be unable to answer; something is wrong."

"Who is that?" yelled Viktor looking out one of the windows. A man was looking in at them. As Viktor drew his wand the kitchen door flew open and a flash of red light flew in their direction. Ron was ready and as he stepped sideways to avoid the spell he simultaneously shot a stunning hex hitting the man in the doorway dropping him backward into the kitchen.

Hermione had made a shield between the three of them and the man by the window just in time. The window was shattered by the man's hex which then rebounded from Hermione's shield. A noise coming from the hall that led to the bedroom area allowed Viktor to turn in time to see another man with a raised wand. Before the man could cast a spell Viktor's athlete reflexes allowed him to jump aside so the spell when it came missed by inches.

Ron had moved sideways to get a view into the kitchen through the door that was held open but the stunned man's foot. As Ron moved he came into the sight of the man in the hall who then turned to shoot a curse at Ron but was hit and felled by a spell from Viktor who was still on the floor after evading the hex shot at him.

The man in the window had moved to the left away from the window where he would have been open to a curse cast by anyone in the room and Hermione lost sight of him. She edged at an angle toward the front door while her eyes move rapidly from window to window looking for other threats. Viktor yell that there was nobody else in the hall and Ron answered that nobody was moving in the kitchen but he could see Viktor's staff on the floor; they seemed to be unconscious.

Hermione told Viktor to keep watch on the hall and for Ron to shut and seal the kitchen door then come help her check out the front yard. When Ron was in position Hermione opened the door from a safe distance using her wand. A hex came flying in but it wasn't even close to any of them. They both shot stunners out the door and Ron got to the broken window so he could see the area outside where to last hex had come from.

When he nodded Hermione shot a series of spell out the door to keep whoever was out there from aiming at Ron. As Ron stuck his head up he saw the mystery man and three others moving away from the house. He shot a stunner at the group and one of them collapsed. The other three turned to smoke and began to soar away.

Ron yelled to Hermione to come so they could chase the three escaping men but Hermione yelled back, "No, Ron don't go out it may be a trap and Viktor can't soar so he'll be left alone and we'll be outnumbered at least three to two. Let's bind these two first and check Viktor's staff."

Viktor's people were stunned but unhurt and were soon revived. With the six of them now awake and alert; Ron, who was the only one with defensive training, placed everyone in the best positions to prevent another attack while Viktor sent a patronus to the authorities for help which arrived in less than fifteen minutes.

After Viktor related the events to the Bulgarian Aurors they posted several guards around the grounds then revived and questioned the two captives. The man Ron had stunned outside had apparently awoke and escaped before the Bulgarians arrived.

Ron was upset that they had not gone out to capture and bind him but Hermione calmed him when she said, "It doesn't matter. If they were setting a trap and waiting for us to come out we could have been killed. What is important is how they knew we were here. We need to find out if Viktor, his parent, or his aunt told anyone about us."

"You're right of course," Ron replied, "but when you're attacked and your heart is beating so fast the first thing you want to do is get back at your attackers. It's seems to be natural for you but it's a hard thing for me to hold back I have to remember to think before I act."

Viktor said he had talked to no one but his father, not even his fiancé who was already gone to her family's house when Hermione letter arrived. An hour later after apparating back to Viktor's parent's house they discovered that Viktor's mother and aunt had spoken to nobody; but Viktor's father confessed he had told about a dozen men at the local tavern that Viktor was coming for a visit and was bringing English friends he had met at the Triwizard tournament. He was sorry but Viktor never said to keep their visit secret.

"Well", said Ron, "that's another lead for the Bulgarians. Someone in this town is connected to dark wizards in some fashion; but that doesn't mean Bellatrix. They could have just been Bulgarians that don't like Englishmen or even kidnappers that thought they could get ransom for us."

"You don't really believe that?" said Hermione.

"No, answered Ron, "but our training teaches us to consider all possibilities until they are proven wrong. I am 99% sure they were friends of Bellatrix, but let the Bulgarians and our people check everything."

The next morning Ron and Hermione, holding hands, said good-by to Viktor and followed their multi legged path in reverse back to Grimmauld place.

Ginny was at her final practice before the New Year's Eve match so they told Harry about what happened on their trip. When the story of the hot tub came up Harry stopped Ron. I know what a hot tub is; my aunt and uncle didn't have one because my uncle Vernon said "only degenerates get in a bath tub together", but some people in the neighborhood had them. Ron got back to the story and when he finished telling about the attack on Viktor's house Harry asked a few questions about the details of the attack. Then they all agreed that this was important enough to tell Kingsley and Chitterly immediately so Harry sent owls to each with a brief note and a request for a meeting as soon as possible.

At eight, Ginny had returned and they were just finishing dinner, when the bell rang. Kingsley and Chitterly were at the door. All six went to the sitting room and Ginny who heard parts of the story over dinner heard the entire story along with Kingsley and Chitterly.

After hearing the entire narrative, Kingsley and Chitterly both congratulated Hermione and Ron for their effective response to a surprise attack. "Hermione," said Chitterly, "if you ever want to transfer to the Auror's office let me know. Ron stunning two of the attackers is some feat. I'll see that it's entered into your official file."

Kingsley then summarized the course they would follow. "Ron's admission that you all have to learn patience is a sign of your growing maturity but what we must do will still be hard for all of you. Events seem to have shifted to Bulgaria and with no direct clues about Bellatrix or her Horcrux no more can be done in London at this time. It's likely now that Bellatrix will return before we can find and destroy her Horcrux.

Harry and Ron will return to their normal classes. Hermione will return to work on the bill for the fair treatment of house elves and other magical creatures. Ginny can continue on her leave and play Quidditch. Her job at the ministry would be waiting when she was ready. By the way I have tickets to the match New Year's Eve and good luck.

However all of you will also be assigned security personal for protection."

All four shouted at once, "What? We don't need bodyguards we can protect ourselves. We want to be part of the hunt for Bellatrix not hiding and waiting for her to come after us again."

"I just complimented you all about maturing and you show me your not. While Ron and Harry have finished two thirds of your training you're not fully qualified yet. Hermione and Ginny have no formal training. I know you have fought bravely in more battles than many Aurors but you have also been lucky. Admit it; you all could have been killed several times each in the last few years. Your skills saved you some of these times but luck was also a big factor. God favors those who are prepared. Why take a chance of Bellatrix being lucky next time instead of you. Having extra protection when you are a known target is just prudent. You will do as the Minister of Magic orders, no more argument.

Also Luna, Neville, and Molly will also receive security full time whether they like it or not. As badly as Bellatrix wants Harry dead I will eat a dragon raw if she doesn't go after the three of them also. Molly killed her for the first time at the battle of Hogwarts. Luna is responsible for breaking up her plans in America, and he hatred of Neville goes back to when she tortured his parents not to mention how much he helped you four.

Clyde will assign a team of as many Aurors as he see fit to go to Bulgaria and work with authorities there to find Vaslav Krum and the people who attacked Viktor's house. Clyde will also try to get the two captured attackers brought to England for interrogation with Luna present.

Everyone in the ministry will continue to search for Bellatrix and her Horcruxes but, this adventure is over for the time being. I hope you all remember what I told you a few months ago. Don't get discouraged, the one that gets away today is the one we catch tomorrow."

The End

for now; but coming soon

**Harry Potter and the Black Witch's Coven**

also

Harry James Potter and Ginevra Molly Weasley

and

Ronald Bilius Weasley and Hermione Jean Granger

invite you

(but not Bellatrix Lestrange)

to be a guest at their double wedding


End file.
